EP1857163A1 - Appareil pour le traitement de la face de l'extrémité d'un corps moulé en nid d'abeille, procédé de scellage de corps moulé en nid d'abeille et procédé pour la fabrication d'un corps moulé en nid d'abeille - Google Patents

Appareil pour le traitement de la face de l'extrémité d'un corps moulé en nid d'abeille, procédé de scellage de corps moulé en nid d'abeille et procédé pour la fabrication d'un corps moulé en nid d'abeille Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP1857163A1
EP1857163A1 EP07005685A EP07005685A EP1857163A1 EP 1857163 A1 EP1857163 A1 EP 1857163A1 EP 07005685 A EP07005685 A EP 07005685A EP 07005685 A EP07005685 A EP 07005685A EP 1857163 A1 EP1857163 A1 EP 1857163A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
molded body
honeycomb molded
face
flat plate
cell
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP07005685A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1857163B1 (fr
Inventor
Kazuya Naruse
Syuhei Hayakawa
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ibiden Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Ibiden Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ibiden Co Ltd filed Critical Ibiden Co Ltd
Priority to EP11190488A priority Critical patent/EP2433697A1/fr
Publication of EP1857163A1 publication Critical patent/EP1857163A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1857163B1 publication Critical patent/EP1857163B1/fr
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
    • F01N—GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
    • F01N3/00—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust
    • F01N3/08—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for rendering innocuous
    • F01N3/10—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for rendering innocuous by thermal or catalytic conversion of noxious components of exhaust
    • F01N3/24—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for rendering innocuous by thermal or catalytic conversion of noxious components of exhaust characterised by constructional aspects of converting apparatus
    • F01N3/28—Construction of catalytic reactors
    • F01N3/2803—Construction of catalytic reactors characterised by structure, by material or by manufacturing of catalyst support
    • F01N3/2825—Ceramics
    • F01N3/2828—Ceramic multi-channel monoliths, e.g. honeycombs
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D46/00—Filters or filtering processes specially modified for separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours
    • B01D46/24—Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using rigid hollow filter bodies
    • B01D46/2403—Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using rigid hollow filter bodies characterised by the physical shape or structure of the filtering element
    • B01D46/2418—Honeycomb filters
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J35/00—Catalysts, in general, characterised by their form or physical properties
    • B01J35/50—Catalysts, in general, characterised by their form or physical properties characterised by their shape or configuration
    • B01J35/56—Foraminous structures having flow-through passages or channels, e.g. grids or three-dimensional monoliths
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J37/00—Processes, in general, for preparing catalysts; Processes, in general, for activation of catalysts
    • B01J37/02—Impregnation, coating or precipitation
    • B01J37/0215—Coating
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B28—WORKING CEMENT, CLAY, OR STONE
    • B28B—SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER
    • B28B11/00—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles
    • B28B11/003—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles the shaping of preshaped articles, e.g. by bending
    • B28B11/006—Making hollow articles or partly closed articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B28—WORKING CEMENT, CLAY, OR STONE
    • B28B—SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER
    • B28B11/00—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles
    • B28B11/18—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles for removing burr
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C04—CEMENTS; CONCRETE; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES
    • C04B—LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
    • C04B35/00—Shaped ceramic products characterised by their composition; Ceramics compositions; Processing powders of inorganic compounds preparatory to the manufacturing of ceramic products
    • C04B35/515—Shaped ceramic products characterised by their composition; Ceramics compositions; Processing powders of inorganic compounds preparatory to the manufacturing of ceramic products based on non-oxide ceramics
    • C04B35/56—Shaped ceramic products characterised by their composition; Ceramics compositions; Processing powders of inorganic compounds preparatory to the manufacturing of ceramic products based on non-oxide ceramics based on carbides or oxycarbides
    • C04B35/565—Shaped ceramic products characterised by their composition; Ceramics compositions; Processing powders of inorganic compounds preparatory to the manufacturing of ceramic products based on non-oxide ceramics based on carbides or oxycarbides based on silicon carbide
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C04—CEMENTS; CONCRETE; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES
    • C04B—LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
    • C04B38/00—Porous mortars, concrete, artificial stone or ceramic ware; Preparation thereof
    • C04B38/0006—Honeycomb structures
    • C04B38/0012—Honeycomb structures characterised by the material used for sealing or plugging (some of) the channels of the honeycombs
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
    • F01N—GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
    • F01N3/00—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust
    • F01N3/02—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for cooling, or for removing solid constituents of, exhaust
    • F01N3/021—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for cooling, or for removing solid constituents of, exhaust by means of filters
    • F01N3/022—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for cooling, or for removing solid constituents of, exhaust by means of filters characterised by specially adapted filtering structure, e.g. honeycomb, mesh or fibrous
    • F01N3/0222—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for cooling, or for removing solid constituents of, exhaust by means of filters characterised by specially adapted filtering structure, e.g. honeycomb, mesh or fibrous the structure being monolithic, e.g. honeycombs
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C04—CEMENTS; CONCRETE; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES
    • C04B—LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
    • C04B2111/00—Mortars, concrete or artificial stone or mixtures to prepare them, characterised by specific function, property or use
    • C04B2111/00034—Physico-chemical characteristics of the mixtures
    • C04B2111/00129—Extrudable mixtures
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C04—CEMENTS; CONCRETE; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES
    • C04B—LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
    • C04B2111/00—Mortars, concrete or artificial stone or mixtures to prepare them, characterised by specific function, property or use
    • C04B2111/00474—Uses not provided for elsewhere in C04B2111/00
    • C04B2111/00793—Uses not provided for elsewhere in C04B2111/00 as filters or diaphragms
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C04—CEMENTS; CONCRETE; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES
    • C04B—LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
    • C04B2111/00—Mortars, concrete or artificial stone or mixtures to prepare them, characterised by specific function, property or use
    • C04B2111/00474—Uses not provided for elsewhere in C04B2111/00
    • C04B2111/0081—Uses not provided for elsewhere in C04B2111/00 as catalysts or catalyst carriers
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
    • F01N—GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
    • F01N2330/00—Structure of catalyst support or particle filter
    • F01N2330/06—Ceramic, e.g. monoliths
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
    • F01N—GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
    • F01N2450/00—Methods or apparatus for fitting, inserting or repairing different elements
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
    • Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
    • Y02T10/10—Internal combustion engine [ICE] based vehicles
    • Y02T10/12—Improving ICE efficiencies

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus, a sealing method of a honeycomb molded body, and a method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body.
  • a honeycomb structured body first, ceramic powder, binder, and a liquid dispersal medium, for example, are mixed together to prepare a moist mixture.
  • the moist mixture is then continuously extrusion molded using a die, and the extruded molded body is then cut to a prescribed length. Carrying out above manufactures a pillar-shaped honeycomb molded body.
  • the honeycomb molded body obtained above is dried out, and afterward a plug material paste is filled into prescribed cells to carry out sealing on the cells so that a sealed state of either end portion of the cells is achieved. After the sealed state has been achieved, degreasing and firing treatments are carried out, thereby manufacturing the honeycomb fired body.
  • a sealing material paste is applied to the side face of the honeycomb fired body, and using an adhesive, a multitude of honeycomb fired bodies are adhered together.
  • This state of the multitude of honeycomb fired bodies being bonded together by interposing a sealing material layer (an adhesive layer) manufactures a honeycomb fired body aggregate.
  • a cutting treatment is carried out to the achieved aggregate of honeycomb fired bodies using a cutting machine or the like, to form a ceramic block of a prescribed form, such as cylindrical or cylindroid form.
  • sealing material paste is applied to the external circumference of the ceramic block to form a sealing material layer (a coat layer), thus completing the manufacture of the honeycomb structured body.
  • the term 'end face' is used to refer to any face of the faces constituting the external shape of either honeycomb form (that is, the honeycomb molded body, the honeycomb fired body, or the honeycomb structured body) at which cells are exposed, while the term 'side face' is used to refer to all faces other than the end faces.
  • a method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body including a process of sealing cells by soaking end faces of a honeycomb structured body in a slurry inside of a storage container and then pressurizing the slurry to thereby seal the cells, a method for removing slurry adhered to the end faces and drying the end faces when separating the honeycomb structured body from within the storage container (see Patent Document 1, for instance).
  • Patent Document 1 JP-A 2004-290766
  • the honeycomb structured body is not able to fulfill its function as a filter, and because of this, sealing of the cells is carried out in a manner in which prescribed cells are sealed with an amount of plug material paste enabling assured sealing of the cells.
  • sealing of an amount of plug material paste enabling assured sealing of the cells there arise cases in which the plug material paste comes to protrude from the cells and the protruded plug material paste adheres to edges of the cell walls.
  • Patent Document 1 Mentioned Patent Document 1 is that, on the sealed portion of the cell, it is possible to prevent the concave (so-called recesses) receding toward the interior portion of the cells or shrinking of the plugging slurry.
  • the method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body of Patent Document 1 focuses only on slurry recesses generated when separating the honeycomb structured body from within the storage container as an object of adjusting the shape of the honeycomb structured body, and while it is indeed effective in the prevention of this kind of recess the above mentioned method was not able to do anything about the state of slurry protruding to the outside of the cells.
  • the inventors of the present invention have exacted keen examination in aim of solving the above mentioned problem and have found that it is possible to effectively and efficiently flatten the end faces of a honeycomb molded body while maintaining the flatness of the end faces of the honeycomb molded body after degreasing and firing of the plug material paste as well by disposing a flat plate so as to face the end face of a honeycomb molded body having its cells sealed in a parallel manner and pressing the flat plate against the end face of the honeycomb molded body while maintaining the parallel manner of the flat plate.
  • the present invention was perfected.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus is a honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus for flattening an end face of a cell-sealed honeycomb molded body in which a multitude of cells are placed in parallel with one another in the longitudinal direction with a cell wall therebetween, and either end portion of the cells is sealed with a plug material paste, comprising:
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus desirably further comprises: a second flat plate movement mechanism for moving the flat plate which is in a state of being pressed against the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body within the same plane that the flat plate occupies.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus desirably further comprises: an adhered material removal mechanism for removing material adhering to a face of the flat plate which is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body.
  • the face of the flat plate which is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body desirably has a surface roughness Ra of 0.04 to 4.0 ⁇ m.
  • the surface roughness Ra is an arithmetic mean roughness defined by JIS B 0601.
  • a weight at which the flat plate is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body is desirably in the range of 9.8 to 49N (1 to 5kgf).
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus desirably, two of the flat plates are disposed, and the first flat plate movement mechanism is configured to move each of the two flat plates so that each of the two flat plates are pressed against respective end faces at both ends of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body.
  • a sealing method of a honeycomb molded body of the present invention is a sealing method of a honeycomb molded body comprising:
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus desirably further comprises: a second flat plate movement mechanism for moving the flat plate which is in a state of being pressed against the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body within the same plane that the flat plate occupies.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus desirably further comprises: an adhered material removal mechanism for removing material adhering to a face of the flat plate which is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body.
  • the face of the flat plate which is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body desirably has a surface roughness Ra of 0.04 to 4.0 ⁇ m.
  • a weight at which the flat plate is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body desirably is in the range of 9.8 to 49N
  • the shortest distance in between a plane surface comprising an end portion of the cell wall and a most protruded portion or a most recessed portion of the plug material paste with respect to the plane surface desirably is 1 mm or less.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus is provided with two of the flat plates, and the first flat plate movement mechanism is configured to move each of the two flat plates so that each of the two flat plates are pressed against respective end faces at both ends of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body.
  • the method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body comprising a cell-sealed honeycomb fired body comprising:
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus desirably further comprises: a second flat plate movement mechanism for moving the flat plate which is in a state of being pressed against the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body within the same plane that the flat plate occupies.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus desirably further comprises: an adhered material removal mechanism for removing material adhering to a face of the flat plate which is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body.
  • the face of the flat plate which is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body desirably has a surface roughness Ra of 0.04 to 4.0 ⁇ m.
  • a weight at which the flat plate is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body desirably is in the range of 9.8 to 49N (1 to 5kgf).
  • the shortest distance in between a plane surface comprising an end portion of the cell wall and a most protruded portion or a most recessed portion of the plug material paste with respect to the plane surface desirably is 1 mm or less.
  • the shortest distance in between the plane surface comprising the end portion of the cell wall and the most protruded portion or the most recessed portion of the plug material paste with respect to the plane surface desirably is 1 mm or less.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus is provided with two of the flat plates, and the first flat plate movement mechanism is configured to move each of the two flat plates so that each of the two flat plates are pressed against respective end faces at both ends of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body.
  • honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus of the present invention since a flat plate, which is disposed so as to face an end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body having its cells sealed in a parallel manner, is pressed against the above mentioned end face, it is possible to effectively and efficiently flatten the entirety of the end face (encompassing both the cell wall and the plug material paste for sealing the cells).
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus comprises the adhered material removal mechanism, since material adhering to flat plate at the time when the flat plate is pressed against the end face of the above mentioned honeycomb molded body is removed from the flat plate with each press operation of the flat plate, the material adheres to the end face of the honeycomb molded body during the next press operation and thereby does not hinder flattening, thus making it possible to carry out flattening treatment efficiently.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus of the present invention is provided with two flat plates and each of the above mentioned two flat plates is pressed against respective end faces at both ends of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body, it is possible to carry out flattening of both end faces of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body with a single flat plate press operation, and thereby carry out flattening treatment in an even more efficient manner.
  • a honeycomb structured body of the present invention since flattening is carried out to a cell-sealed honeycomb molded body having its cells sealed with a plug material paste, it is possible to effectively maintain a degree of flatness, as well as efficiently suppress changes in the shape, or the physical properties and the like prone to change in correspondence to the shape of end face, in the end faces of also a honeycomb structured body obtained through the subsequent firing treatment.
  • a honeycomb structured body of the present invention with respect to plug concavities or convexities on the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb fired body, since if the end portions of the plug exist within a prescribed region, it is possible to effectively maintain a degree of flatness on the end face of the honeycomb structured body as well, thereby it is possible to obtain a prescribed external appearance. Also, when a honeycomb structured body is situated inside of a casing in order to be used as an exhaust gas purifying filter, it is possible to effectively prevent the occurrence of cracking and the like of the end face when the end face and the casing make contact.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus is a honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus for flattening an end face of a cell-sealed honeycomb molded body in which a multitude of cells are placed in parallel with one another in the longitudinal direction with a cell wall therebetween, and either end portion of the cells is sealed with a plug material paste, comprising:
  • a cell-sealed honeycomb molded body which has the same shape as the honeycomb fired body shown in Figs. 5 (a) and (b), and which has either end portion of its cells sealed with a plugmaterial paste, as the item intended for end face treatment carried out using the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus of the present invention.
  • the item intended for end face treatment is a cell-sealed honeycomb molded body it does not matter if it has passed through drying treatment or not, but it is preferable that the item intended for end face treatment be a cell-sealed honeycomb molded body that has passed through drying for the sake of carrying out the end face treatment effectively.
  • Fig. 1-1 is a vertical cross sectional view schematically showing an example of an embodiment of a honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus of the present invention
  • Fig. 1-2 is a horizontal cross sectional view of the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus of the present invention shown in Fig. 1-1.
  • a honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 comprises a flat plate 20 and a first flat plate movement mechanism 21.
  • the flat plate 20 is disposed so as to face an end face of a cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 in a parallel manner.
  • the first flat plate movement mechanism 21 is configured to move the flat plate 20 while maintaining the state in which the flat plate 20 faces the above mentioned end face in a parallel manner.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 comprises a second flat plate movement mechanism 22, which is configured to move the flat plate 20 within the same plane that the flat plate 20 occupies when the flat plate 20 is in a state of making contact with the end face of the above mentioned cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 (see Fig. 1-2).
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 comprises an induction conveyer 11, a transport arm 12 and a carrying-out conveyer 14 for the purpose of inducting and carrying out the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 into and from the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10.
  • the induction conveyer 11 is configured to convey the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 into the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10;
  • the transport arm 12 is configured to move the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 to a prescribed location;
  • the carrying-out conveyer 14 is configured to convey the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 out of the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10.
  • a molded body placement platform 17 Disposed in the central portion of the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 in between the induction conveyer 11 and the carrying-out conveyer 14 are a molded body placement platform 17 and a support chuck 13.
  • the molded body placement platform 17 is for placing the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 during the end face treatment
  • the support chuck 13 is for sandwiching and thus firmly fixing the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 to the molded body placement platform 17 during the time in which the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 is placed on the molded body placement platform 17.
  • adhered material removal mechanism 15 located at the upper side with respect to the space in between the molded body placement platform 17 and the flat plate 20, and the adhered material removal mechanism 15 is disposed in a manner enabling it to descend and ascend in order to remove constituent material of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 adhering to the flat plate 20. Also, installed onto the upper face of this adhered material removal mechanism 15 is a duct 16 for the purpose of expelling this removed adhered material out of the apparatus.
  • the flat plate 20 is disposed as a pair of two flat plates 20 facing each other from the near side and the far side of the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 as shown in Fig. 1-2. More specifically, each of the two flat plates 20 is disposed on respective sides of a single run of the conveyance line passed through by the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1, and is enabled to flatten both end faces of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 at the same time, using the pair of flat plates 20 and pressing against respective end faces at both ends of a single cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1.
  • the flat plate 20 is joined with the second flat plate movement mechanism 22 which comprises a stepping motor having a shaft member serving as a rotation shaft, and is thus configured to enable rotating of the flat plate 20 within the plane that the flat plate occupies when it is in a state of being pressed against the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1.
  • this second flat plate movement mechanism 22 is supported by a support plate 23 in such a manner as to make the above mentioned shaft member horizontally situated, and this support plate 23 is joined at its bottom portion with the first flat plate movement mechanism 21 which comprises a ball screw.
  • the flat plate 20 is configured in a manner able to advance forward toward or retreat back from both end faces of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 by the driving of the first flat plate movement mechanism 21 through the support plate 23, and moreover, the flat plate 20 is able to move within the plane it occupies by the driving of the second flat plate movement mechanism 22.
  • the adhered material removal mechanism 15 is disposed at the upper side with respect to a face (hereinafter also simply termed 'press face') of the flat plate 20 to be pressed against the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1.
  • the adhered material removal mechanism 15 is configured to descend and carry out removal treatment of the adhered material after contacting the press face of the flat plate 20, thereby removing the above mentioned adhered material.
  • the adhered material removed here is then expelled out of the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 through the duct 16.
  • the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 is placed onto the induction conveyer 11 to convey it into the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10. Afterward, it is moved near the central portion in front of the molded body placement platform 17.
  • the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 indicated by the broken line in Fig. 1-1 is grasped with the transport arm 12 and lifted up to be placed on the molded body placement platform 17.
  • the support chuck 13 sandwiches the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 at its side faces near the end portions near both ends of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1, to thereby firmly fix the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 to the molded body placement platform 17 so that end face treatment is carried out.
  • each of the two flat plates 20 joined to the second flat plate movement mechanism 22 is moved by the driving of the first flat plate movement mechanism 21, toward both end faces of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 in a state of the flat plate 20 facing the end faces in a parallel manner, so that the respective end faces are pressed against with at a prescribed weight.
  • Flattening of the end faces of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 is carried out by rotating the flat plate 20 to a prescribed angle within the same plane it occupies by using the second flat plate movement mechanism 22, when the flat plate 20 is in a state of being pressed against the end faces of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1.
  • the flat plate 20 is retracted to separate from the end face and returned to its original position.
  • the adhered material removal mechanism 15 such as a rotary brush is set into operation, thereby descending to the height of the flat plate 20 where the adhered material removal mechanism 15 and the press face of the flat plate 20 thereby make contact. According to this, any material adhering to the press face of the flat plate 20 is removed.
  • the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 to which end face flattening has been completed is then lifted up once more by the transport arm 12 and placed on the carrying-out conveyer 14 whereby it is conveyed out of the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10.
  • Figs. 2(a) to 2(d) are views schematically showing the process of carrying out flattening treatment to the end portion of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body, and show a cross section of a plane surface of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body horizontal to the longitudinal direction in a manner including the sealed cells.
  • description will be given to a summary of the above mentioned flattening treatment process using these figures.
  • a plug end portion 51a of a plug material paste 51 is protruded with respect to a plane surface 53 comprising a cell wall end portion 52a.
  • the flat plate 20 by moving the flat plate 20 to press it against the above mentioned end face as shown in Fig. 2 (b), the once-protruded plug end portion 51a of the plug material paste is pressed in to conform to the plane surface of the flat plate 20. It is possible to use the above described first flat plate movement mechanism 21 for this movement of the flat plate 20. Furthermore, as is shown in Fig.
  • the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 is placed in a manner in which the longitudinal direction of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 is orthogonal with respect to the conveyance direction of the induction conveyer or the carrying-out conveyer, as it is also acceptable for the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 to be placed in a manner which the longitudinal direction of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 is horizontal with respect to the same directions, however, in consideration of factors such as placement space or the movement direction of the flat plate 20, it is preferable for the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 to be placed in a manner in which its longitudinal direction is orthogonal with respect to the conveyance direction of the induction conveyer or the carrying-out conveyer.
  • the induction conveyer 11 and the carrying-out conveyer 14 are not particularly limited, and it is possible to optimally use conveyers such as a belt conveyer, a chain conveyer.
  • the mechanism of the transport arm 12 is not particularly limited, and aside from the grasping mechanism mentioned herein above, it is also acceptable to use mechanisms such as suction conveyance mechanisms configured to suck the top face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 thereby lifting it, as well as lift mechanisms such as a forklift.
  • the number of disposed units of the transport arm 12 is not particularly limited, and can be 2 units instead of 1 unit.
  • the 2 transport arm 12 units being disposed in line along the conveyance direction of the conveyance line, convey the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 in a synchronous manner.
  • one of the transport arms works back and forth in between the induction conveyer 11 and the molded body placement platform 17 while the other transport arm works back and forth in between the molded body placement platform 17 and the carrying-out conveyer 14.
  • the support chuck 13 is installed on the molded body placement platform 17 in a manner able to grasp the side face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 from both sides.
  • the number of units of the support chuck 13 to be disposed is not particularly limited, as it is acceptable to dispose a pair of the support chuck 13 so as to grasp the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 at a single site at the central portion of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1, as it is also acceptable to dispose two pairs of the support chuck 13, each pair at a site near respective end portions at both sides of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1.
  • the contact face of the support chuck 13 with the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 be coated with an elastic material such as urethane resin, epoxy resin, silicon resin, natural rubber, and synthetic rubber, to prevent the surface of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 from being damaged.
  • an elastic material such as urethane resin, epoxy resin, silicon resin, natural rubber, and synthetic rubber
  • the amount of pressure applied when the support chuck 13 grasps the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 is to an extent which will not occur deformation such as dents in the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1, and to an extent which makes it possible to suppress vibrations and the like that arise during end face treatment.
  • the amount of the grasping pressure is not particularly limited, it is preferable to be in the range of 10 to 50kPa for example.
  • the material usable as the constituent material of the flat plate 20 is not particularly limited as long as it is one having abrasion resistance and durability properties.
  • Examples of the material usable as the constituent material of the flat plate 20 include, for example, ceramics such as silicon carbide and tungsten carbide, metals such as stainless (SUS) and steel, and special metals such as nickel alloy. It is also acceptable for there to be a resin, ceramic, or metallic coat layer coated and hardened on a flat plate 20 constituted from the above mentioned material, and it is also acceptable for these coat layers to be formed according to plating, spray coating, or like techniques. Also, it is acceptable to carry out a polishing treatment to the surface of the flat plate, or to the coat layer.
  • a heating mechanism such as a heater to be comprised inside of the flat plate 20.
  • a heating mechanism such as a heater
  • the shape of the flat plate 20 as viewed from the direction of the press face of the flat plate 20 is not particularly limited as long as it is larger than the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1.
  • the shape of the flat plate 20 may be an arbitrary shape such as a square, rectangular or cylindrical.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus desirably, two of the flat plates are disposed, and the first flat plate movement mechanism is configured to move each of the two flat plates so that each of the two flat plates are pressed against respective end faces at both ends of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body.
  • the number of units of the flat plate 20 it is acceptable for the number of units of the flat plate 20 to be disposed per single unit of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 to be 1 unit as well as 2 units.
  • the face of the flat plate which is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body desirably has a surface roughness Ra of 0. 04 to 4. 0 ⁇ m.
  • the surface roughness Ra is an arithmetic mean roughness defined by JIS B 0601.
  • the surface roughness Ra of the press face of the flat plate 20 may be set in correspondence to the desired degree of flatness; however, by the surface roughness Ra being in the above mentioned range it is possible to hold down polishing costs and the like necessary for the adjustment of surface roughness while making it possible to carry out flattening of the end faces of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body at a high degree of precision.
  • a weight at which the flat plate is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body is desirably in the range of 9.8 to 49N (1 to 5kgf). If the weight applied when the flat plate 20 is pressed against the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body is less than 9.8N (1 kgf), it is not possible to carry out flattening of the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 in an effective manner, while alternately, if the above mentioned weight is more than 49N (5kgf) there arises the concern that the end face will undergo deformation, or that the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 itself will undergo deformation.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus desirably further comprises: a second flat plate movement mechanism for moving the flat plate which is in a state of being pressed against the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body within the same plane that the flat plate occupies, as is shown in Figs. 1-1 and 1-2.
  • a second flat plate movement mechanism for moving the flat plate which is in a state of being pressed against the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body within the same plane that the flat plate occupies, as is shown in Figs. 1-1 and 1-2.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 comprises the second flat plate movement mechanism 22, it is possible to carry out flattening of the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 in an even more effective manner since it becomes possible to move the flat plate 20 which is in a state of being pressed against the end face within the same plane it occupies.
  • the second flat plate movement mechanism is included in the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 may be disposed in correspondence to the desired degree of flatness of the end face.
  • the movement of the flat plate 20 in the above mentioned same plane it occupies is not limited to being rotational movement around a center shaft member joined with the flat plate 20. It is acceptable for the above mentioned movement of the flat plate 20 to be horizontal movement in the up, down, left, right or diagonal directions with respect to the end face, as it is also acceptable to be a combination of horizontal and rotational movement. However, when considering factors such as movement space and movement efficiency, it is preferable that the movement of the flat plate 20 in the above mentioned same plane it occupies be rotational movement.
  • the term “same plane the flat plate occupies” refers to a state of a face formed by a main surface of the flat plate in which the face after movement of the flat plate is within the same main surface of the flat plate before the movement of the flat plate.
  • the angle of rotation be in the range of 10 to 150 degrees, and even more preferable in the range of 10 to 90 degrees. If the angle of rotation is less than 10 degrees flattened plug comes to adhere to the flat plate. This adhered plug makes it impossible to carry out further flattening, and is easily prone to peeling off of the adhered plug which gives rise to the concern that the end face will undergo deformation due to this influence.
  • the angle of rotation is great, stress builds in between the flat plate and the end face giving rise to the concern of deformation of the end face or the generation of cracking, and because of this it is preferable that the angle of rotation be 150 degrees or less, and with an even more preferable angle of rotation of 90 degrees or less it is possible to carry out flattening to a sufficient degree with no generation of cracking on the end face. Because of this, if the above mentioned angle of rotation is in the range of 10 degrees to 90 degrees it is possible to carry out flattening of the end face in a precise manner.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 comprise the adhered material removal mechanism 15 for removing material adhering to the face of the flat plate 20 which is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1.
  • the adhered material removal mechanism 15 it is possible to remove material that has adhered during end face treatment, and because of this, the adhered material removal mechanism 15 proves to be an effective means in cases in which an even higher degree of flattening is required on the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1.
  • the constitution of the adhered material removal mechanism 15 is not particularly limited, and feasible examples include, for instance, a rotary brush of the kind mentioned herein above, sponge, buff, whetstone, air-blow, cloth, wiper, and like constitutions able to carry out so-called cleaning of the press face of the flat plate 20.
  • the adhered material thereby removed by this adhered material removal mechanism 15 is then expelled through the duct 16 out of the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus of the present invention be constituted in a manner so as to carry out flattening of one or both end faces of a plurality of cell-sealed honeycomb molded bodies at one time.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 is able to carry out flattening of both end faces of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 at one time by carrying out an end face treatment using the flat plate 20, the first flat plate movement mechanism 21, and disposed according to necessity the second flat plate movement mechanism 22, as a single end face treatment unit to one end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1, and using an identical end face treatment unit for the other end face of the same cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1.
  • honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 it is possible to carry out flattening of both end faces of a single cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 according to a pair of end face treatment units. It is acceptable for the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 to comprise a single pair of end face treatment units as shown in Fig. 1-2, as it is also acceptable to compromise a plurality of pairs of end face treatment units.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 comprises a constitution having a end face treatment unit having established therein a plurality of flat plate portions configured to be pressed against the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb fired body, and able to carry out flattening treatment of a plurality of cell-sealed honeycomb molded bodies 1 at one time with a pair of end face treatment units.
  • the number of the above mentioned end face treatment units to be disposed is not particularly limited, it is preferable that 2 to 4 pairs of the above mentioned end face treatment unit be comprised therein. If the number of the above mentioned end face treatment units is within the above range (2 to 4 pairs), it is possible to improve the operation efficiency of the end face treatment, and also, it is possible to suppress increases of apparatus running costs and placement space.
  • a sealing method of a honeycomb molded body of the present invention is a sealing method of a honeycomb molded body comprising:
  • honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus of the present invention Since it is possible to optimally use the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus of the present invention already described herein above as the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus used in the sealing method of a honeycomb molded body of the present invention, detailed description of the constitution thereof will be omitted at this point, leaving description to the conditions, procedures, and the like of the flattening treatment.
  • honeycomb molded body intended for end face treatment carried out by the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus of the present invention as the honeycomb molded body in question in the sealing method of a honeycomb molded body of the present invention.
  • Description of the process of carrying out sealing of the cells of this honeycomb molded body using a plug material paste will be covered in the description of the method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body of the present invention, while at this point the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body that has had the plug material paste filled to prescribed cells will be described as the item in question for the present sealing method of a honeycomb molded body.
  • a weight at which the flat plate is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body desirably is in the range of 9.8 to 49N (1 to 5kgf). If, as in the manner of the description of the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus of the present invention set forth herein above, the above mentioned weight is in the above mentioned range, it is possible to carry out assured flattening of the end faces without causing deformation.
  • the period of time of pressing the flat plate 20 against the end face during end face treatment is acceptable to correspond to weight at which pressing is carried out, the shape of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1, and the like.
  • the period of time of pressing the flat plate 20 against the end face be in the range of 0.5 to 5 seconds. From the standpoint of workability it is preferable that the period of time of pressing the flat plate 20 against the end face be short.
  • the period of time of pressing the flat plate 20 against the end face is less than 0.5 seconds it is not possible to carry out flattening treatment to a sufficient degree, while alternately, if the period of time of pressing the flat plate 20 against the end face is more than 5 seconds the achievable degree of flatness will not change, and also, there arises the concern that the end face will undergo deformation due to a cumulatively large amount of stress load applied to the end face.
  • the above-mentioned honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus desirably further comprises: a second flat plate movement mechanism for moving the flat plate which is in a state of being pressed against the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body within the same plane that the flat plate occupies.
  • the above mentioned end face is flattened sufficiently, if the second flat plate movement mechanism is disposed to move the above mentioned flat plate within the same plane that the flat plate occupies when it is in a state of being pressed against the end face of the above mentioned cell-sealed honeycomb molded body, it is possible to raise the degree of flatness in a case in which an even higher degree of flatness is desired.
  • the movement of the flat plate by the second flat plate movement mechanism within the same plane that the flat plate occupies and when the flat plate is in a state of being pressed against the end face of the above mentioned cell-sealed honeycomb molded body can be rotational movement or horizontal movement, or a combination of both horizontal and rotational movement.
  • the angle of rotation be in the range of 10 to 150 degrees, and even more preferable in the range of 10 to 90 degrees. If the angle of rotation is less than 10 degrees, flattened plug material comes to adhere to the flat plate. This adhered plug material makes it impossible to carry out further flattening, and is easily prone to peeling off of the adhered plug which gives rise to the concern that the end face will undergo deformation due to this influence.
  • the angle of rotation is great, stress builds in between the flat plate and the end face giving rise to the concern of deformation of the end face or the generation of cracking, and because of this it is preferable that the angle of rotation be 150 degrees or less, and with an even more preferable angle of rotation of 90 degrees or less it is possible to carry out flattening to a sufficient degree with no generation of cracking on the end face. Because of this, if the above mentioned angle of rotation is in the range of 10 to 90 degrees it is possible to carry out flattening of the end face in a precise manner.
  • the angular speed at the time of the above mentioned rotational movement be in the range of 2 to 300 rad/s.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus desirably further comprises: an adhered material removal mechanism for removing material adhering to a face of the flat plate which is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body. Since it is possible to thereby remove material adhering to the press face of the flat plate in an efficient manner it is possible to carry out continuous flattening treatment without the adhered material interfering with the subsequent flattening treatment.
  • the face of the flat plate which is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body desirably has a surface roughness Ra of 0.04 to 4.0 ⁇ m.
  • examples of methods of setting the surface roughness of the above mentioned flat plate within the above mentioned range include methods using buff polishing, whetstone, sheet or the like, for example.
  • Examples of the buff used in the above mentioned buff polishing include abrasive-grain containing buff such as disc-type buff, flap-type buff and whirl-type buff, and abrasive-grain-less buff such as polypropylene non-fibrous cloth and the like, for example.
  • examples of the abrasive grain used in the above mentioned abrasive-grain containing buff include aluminum silicate, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide and the like, for example.
  • Examples of the kinds of the above mentioned whetstone include resinoid whetstone (resinous material), magnesia whetstone (cement material), diamond whetstone, rubber control whetstone, epoxy control whetstone and the like, for example. Also, it is for example possible to use a sheet containing sheet polish material of #A60 to A240 grade granularity as the sheet. More concretely, examples of the above mentioned sheet include urethanesponge,nylon non-fibrouscloth,acryl(sponge), or the like clad with whetstone such as aluminum silicate, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, or the like for example.
  • the shortest distance L in between a plane surface comprising an end portion of the cell wall and a most protruded portion or a most recessed portion of the plug material paste with respect to the plane surface desirably is 1 mm or less.
  • FIGs. 3(a) to 3(c) are partial enlarged cross sectional views showing a cross section of a plane surface of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body sectioned horizontally with respect to the longitudinal direction in a manner including the sealed cells.
  • Each of the Figs. 3 (a) to 3(c) shows an aspect of cells 30, 40, and 50 which are partitioned by cell walls 32, 42, and 52, sealed by plug material pastes 31, 41, and 51, respectively.
  • a plug end portion 31a of the plug material paste 31 lays within the same plane surface as a plane surface 33 comprising a cell wall end portion 32a of the cell wall 32, and is neither recessed nor protruded with respect to the plane surface 33. Therefore, in this case the shortest distance L in between the plane surface 33 comprising the cell wall end portion 32a of the cell wall 32, and the plug end portion 31a of the plug material paste 31 is 0mm.
  • a plug end portion 41a of the plug material paste 41 is recessed with respect to a plane surface 43 comprising cell wall end portion 42a of the cell wall 42.
  • the distance L shown in Fig. 3(b) is the shortest distance in between the plane surface 43 and the most recessed portion at the end portion of the plug material paste 41, i.e., the plug end portion 41a.
  • a plug end portion 51a of the plug material paste 51 is protruded with respect to the plane surface 53 comprising a cell wall end portion 52a of the cell wall 52. Therefore in this case, the shortest distance in between the plane surface 53 and the most protruded plug end portion 51a which is the end portion of the plug material paste 51 is the distance L shown in Fig. 3(c).
  • the shortest distance L regulated in this manner (herein below the shortest distance corresponding to the most protruded portion will be termed the 'amount of protrusion', and the shortest distance corresponding to the most recessed portion will be termed the 'amount of recession') is 1mm or less, the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body is flattened to a sufficient degree.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus used in the sealing method according to the present invention is provided with two of the flat plates, and the first flat plate movement mechanism is configured to move each of the two flat plates so that each of the two flat plates are pressed against respective end faces at both ends of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus being constituted in a manner configured to press two flat plates against both ends of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body respectively, it is possible to carry out flattening of both end faces at one time while improving the efficiency and uniformity of the end face treatment.
  • the number of flat plates to be comprised by the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus is not limited to two, as sufficient flattening can be carried out with only one flat plate as well.
  • the method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body comprising a cell-sealed honeycomb fired body, comprising:
  • Fig. 4 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a honeycomb structured body.
  • Fig. 5(a) is a perspective view schematically showing a honeycomb fired body that comprises the above honeycomb structured body, while Fig. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view thereof, taken on line A-A.
  • a honeycomb structured body 130 a plurality of honeycomb fired bodies 140 of the kind shown in Figs. 5(a) and 5(b), are bound together by interposing a sealing material layer (an adhesive layer) 131 forming a ceramic block 133, and a sealing material layer (a coat layer) 132 is formed over the external circumference of the ceramic block 133. And comprising the honeycomb fired body 140 are, as shown Figs. 5 (a) and 5 (b), a multitude of cells 141 placed in parallel with one another in the longitudinal direction, and a cell wall 143, which separates the cells 141 from each other, and provide filtration functionality.
  • the end portion on either the entrance side or the exit side of the cells 141 formed in the honeycomb firedbody 140 are sealed by a plug material layer 142.
  • the exhaust gas which enters one of the cells 141 passes through the cell wall 143 which separates the cells 141 from each other, without fail, to flow out through other cells 141.
  • the exhaust gas passes through the cell wall 143 particulates contained within the exhaust gas are captured by the cell wall 143, thereby purifying the exhaust gas.
  • the method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body according to the present invention will be described in order of process.
  • description will be put forth in regard to the method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body in a case using silicon carbide powder as ceramic powder. It is a matter of course that the main component of the constituent material of the honeycomb structured body is not limited to silicon carbide.
  • Ceramic raw material examples include for instance, components such as nitride ceramicssuch asaluminum nitride,silicon nitride,boron nitride, titanium nitride; carbide ceramics such as zirconium carbide, titanium carbide, tantalum carbide, tungsten carbide; and oxide ceramics such as alumina, zirconia, cordierite, mullite, and aluminum titanate, and the like.
  • nitride ceramics such asaluminum nitride,silicon nitride,boron nitride, titanium nitride
  • carbide ceramics such as zirconium carbide, titanium carbide, tantalum carbide, tungsten carbide
  • oxide ceramics such as alumina, zirconia, cordierite, mullite, and aluminum titanate, and the like.
  • non-oxide ceramics are desirably used, with silicon carbide being particularly desirable. This is because they are excellent in thermal resistance properties,
  • silicon-containing ceramic which is obtained by infusing metallic silicon with the ceramics set forth above, as well as ceramic bound by silicon or silicate compounds can also be used as the constituting material of the honeycomb structured body. And out of these, those (silicon-containing silicon carbide) of ceramic obtained by infusing silicon carbide with metallic silicon are preferable.
  • organic binder is dry mixed with an inorganic powder such as silicon carbide powder of differing average particle diameters as the ceramic raw material. While the powder blend is being prepared, a solution blend is prepared of blended liquid plasticizer, lubricating agent, and water. Next, the above mentioned powder blend and the above mentioned solution blend are further blended together using a wet mixing machine, and thus a moist mixture for use in manufacturing the molded body is prepared.
  • the particle diameter of the above mentioned silicon carbide powder is not particularly limited, a particle diameter exhibiting little shrinkage during the subsequent firing process is preferable.
  • a powder mix of a powder having 100 parts by weight with an average particle diameter in the range of 0.3 to 50 ⁇ m, and another powder having 5 to 65 parts by weight with an average particle diameter in the range of 0.1 to 1.0 ⁇ m is desirable.
  • the pore diameter can also be adjusted by adjusting the particle diameter of the inorganic powder.
  • the above mentioned organic binder is not limited in particular, and binders such as methylcellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, polyethylene glycol and the like, for example, are acceptable for use therein. Of the binders mentioned above, methylcellulose is the most preferable. It is preferable that the above mentioned binder be blended with the inorganic powder at a ratio of 1 to 10 parts by weight of binder per 100 parts by weight of inorganic powder.
  • plasticizer is not limited in particular, and substances such as glycerin, for example, are acceptable for use as such.
  • the above mentioned lubricating agent is not limited in particular, and substances such as polyoxyalkylene based compounds such as polyoxyethelyne alkyl ether, and polyoxypropylene alkyl ether, for example, are acceptable for use as such.
  • Some concrete examples of lubricating agents are substances such as polyoxyethelyn monobutyl ether, and polyoxypropylene monobutyl ether. Also, in some cases, it is unnecessary to use plasticizer or lubricating agent in the powdered material blend.
  • a dispersant when preparing the above mentioned moist mixture, it is acceptable to use a dispersant, and examples of such dispersant include water, organic solvents such as benzol and the like, and alcohol such as methanol and the like, for example. Further, it is also acceptable to add a mold aiding agent to the above mentioned moist mixture.
  • the mold aiding agent is not limited in particular, and substances such as ethylene glycol, dextrin, fatty acid, fatty acid soap, poly alcohol and the like, for example, may be used.
  • a pore-forming agent such as balloon, which is a micro sized hollow sphere, spherical acrylic granule, graphite and the like, having oxide based ceramic as a component therein, to the above mentioned moist mixture.
  • balloon is not particularly limited, and material such as alumina balloons, glass micro balloons, shirasu balloons, fly ash balloons (FA balloons), mullite balloons, for example, are all acceptable for use.
  • alumina balloon is the most preferable for use.
  • the temperature of the above prepared moist mixture which uses silicon carbide, to be 28 Degrees Celsius or less. This is because if the temperature is too high, organic binder will undergo gelatinization. It is also preferable for the inorganic ratio of within the above mentioned moist mixture to be 10% by weight or less, and it is also preferable for the moisture content weight of the same moist mixture to be in the range of 8.0 to 20.0% by weight.
  • the above mentioned moist mixture is conveyed and then inducted into an extrusion molding machine.
  • a ceramic molded body of prescribed shape is formed according to extrusion molding. This ceramic molded body is then cut to a prescribed length by a molded body cutting apparatus.
  • the above mentioned honeycomb molded body is dried using a microwave drying apparatus, a hot air drying apparatus, a dielectric drying apparatus, a reduced pressure drying apparatus, a vacuum drying apparatus, a freeze drying apparatus, or the like, where it is made into a dried honeycomb molded body.
  • a cutting process is carried out to cut both ends of the manufactured honeycomb molded body to cut the honeycomb molded body to a prescribed length. According to doing so, any shrinkage of the honeycomb molded body that may have occurred during drying ceases to be an issue.
  • Fig. 6 is an outline view schematically showing a honeycomb molded body cell opening-sealing apparatus
  • Fig. 7 (a) is an outline view schematically showing a paste filling apparatus constituting the honeycomb molded body cell opening-sealing apparatus
  • Fig. 7 (b) is a partial enlarged cross sectional view schematically showing a portion of the honeycomb molded body cell opening-sealing apparatus of Fig. 7(a).
  • a honeycomb molded body opening-sealing apparatus 200 comprises a rotary table 201, an image capture apparatus 205, and a paste filling portion 206.
  • the rotary table 201 is configured to rotate and have placed thereon a honeycomb molded body 250
  • the image capture apparatus 205 is configured to photograph the end face of the honeycomb molded body 250
  • the paste filling portion 206 contains a opening-sealing mask 204, a paste dispenser tank 203 and the like, and is configured to fill plug material paste into the end portions of cells of the honeycomb molded body 250.
  • the rotary table 201 having a rotational axis disposed in the vertical direction, is set to rotate horizontally, and has on it 8 molded body fixing portions 202 for firmly fixing the honeycomb molded body 250 to the rotary table 201.
  • the rotary table 201 carries out intermittent rotational movement and the honeycomb molded body 250 is firmly fixed thereto by the molded body fixing portion 202, and opening-sealing treatment of the honeycomb molded body 250 is thereby conducted within a single rotation of the rotary table 201.
  • the number of units of the molded body fixing portion 202 is not particularly limited.
  • the image capture apparatus 205 is disposed at two locations around the periphery of the rotary table 201, and two units of the paste filling apparatus containing the paste filling portion 206 are also disposed, enabling paste to be filed to the end portions of the cells after the different end faces of the honeycomb molded body 250 have been photographed.
  • a honeycomb molded body 250 conveyed by being placed on a conveyer 199 is situated into and firmly fixed to the molded body fixing portion 202 of the rotary table 201 constituting the honeycomb molded body cell plugging apparatus 200, by a robotic arm (not shown).
  • the rotary table 201 rotates 1/8 th of a full rotation.
  • the end face of the honeycomb molded body 250 stops at a location facing the image capture apparatus 205 for photographing the same end face, where the end face of the honeycomb molded body 250 is then photographed by the image capture apparatus 205.
  • the photograph captured image is immediately analyzed by an image analysis apparatus (not shown) connected to the image capture apparatus 205.
  • the image analysis extracts the shape of the cells from the image, identifies the locations of the cells to be sealed while considering the slant and the like of the honeycomb molded body 250, compares the identified locations to the locations of the openings of the opening-sealing mask 204 used in sealing the cells, and calculates the location at which the location error of the openings of the opening-sealing mask 204 with the cells of the honeycomb molded body 250 is the least. More detailed description of this calculation process will be set forth at a later point herein below.
  • the honeycomb molded body 250 to which photographing has been completed is rotated 1/8 th of a full rotation to stop at the next location.
  • the opening-sealing mask 204 is superimposed over the end face of the honeycomb molded body 250 at the location calculated in order that the location error between the openings of the opening-sealing mask 204 and the cells of the honeycomb molded body 250 is the smallest, and a plug material paste is thereby filled into the cells through the openings of the opening-sealing mask 204 to thereby seal the openings at the end face of the honeycomb molded body 250.
  • the paste filling portion 206 is firmly fixed to a robotic arm comprising an angle adjustment member constituted in a manner which enables the x, y, z axes to be established in the locations that they have been set to.
  • the rotary table 201 rotates 1/8 th of a full rotation.
  • the honeycomb molded body 250 firmly fixed to the molded body fixing portion 202 is lifted up by the robotic arm (not shown), and oriented in a manner that the end face with its openings sealed faces the center of the rotary table 201 and the end face with its openings yet to be sealed faces the outside. And the oriented honeycomb molded body 250 is then firmly fixed to the molded body fixing portion 202 once more.
  • the rotary table 201 rotates 1/8 th of a full rotation.
  • the end face yet to be sealed is photographed by the image capture apparatus 205 in the same manner as in the above described operation.
  • the opening-sealing mask 204 is superimposed over the end face of the honeycomb molded body 250 at the location at which the location error between the openings of the opening-sealing mask 204 and the cells of the honeycomb molded body 250 is the smallest, and opening-sealing treatment is thereby carried out.
  • the honeycomb molded body 2 50 having the opening-sealing treatment carried out thereon is lifted up by a robotic arm not shown in the figures, and placed on a conveyer 207 of the next process.
  • the term 'robotic arm' is used to refer to an arm comprising active joints having motors or the like, and according to necessity, further comprising passive joints having no motors or the like.
  • the paste filling apparatus 220 as shown in Fig. 7 (a) has the paste filling portion 206 and a paste supply portion 218 configured to supply plug material paste to the paste filling portion 206, and both the paste filling portion 206 and the paste supply portion 218 are joined together through a plug material paste supply tube 213. It is also acceptable to directly join the paste filling portion and the paste supply portion together without interposing a plug material paste supply tube therebetween.
  • the paste supply portion 218 comprises a paste supply hopper 211 and a paste discharge apparatus 212.
  • plug material paste conveyed in from the paste supply hopper 211 which has stored up a separately prepared plug material paste, is sent to the plug material paste supply tube 213 by the paste discharge apparatus 212 where it is further sent into the paste filling portion 206.
  • the size of the openings of the above mentioned filter is not particularly limited, it is preferable that they be in the size range of 0.1 to 1.0 mm.
  • the paste filling portion 206 aside from the plugging mask 204 and the paste discharge tank 203, also comprises an agitation portion 224 constituted by an agitation blade 221, an agitation shaft 222, and a motor 223; a flow adjustment plate 225 disposed on the inlet side (the connection point had with a plug material paste supply tube 214) of the paste discharge tank 203; an angle adjustment member 226 and a temperature control member 228 disposed adjacent to the inlet side of the paste discharge tank 203; a shock absorption member 227 made of silicon rubber and interposed between the opening-sealing mask 204 and the paste discharge tank 203; a uniaxial eccentric screw pump (mono pump) 215; and a plug material paste supply tube 214 configured to join the uniaxial eccentric screw pump 215 with the paste discharge tank 203.
  • an agitation portion 224 constituted by an agitation blade 221, an agitation shaft 222, and a motor 223
  • a flow adjustment plate 225 disposed on the inlet side (
  • the plug material paste sent from the paste supply portion 218 is first sent into the uniaxial eccentric screw pump 215, and from there, a fixed amount of the plug material paste is sent from the uniaxial eccentric screw pump 215 through the plug material paste supply tube 214 and the flow adjustment plate 225 to the paste discharge tank 203 where it is then filled into prescribed cells of the honeycomb molded body 250 through the opening-sealing mask 204 superimposed over the targeted end face of the honeycomb molded body 250.
  • the agitation shaft 222 and the agitation blade 221 are constituted in a manner configured to rotate.
  • the angle adjustment member 226 and the temperature control member 228 are disposed adjacent to one another on the paste discharge tank 203. So when superimposing the paste discharge tank 203 over the end face of the honeycomb molded body 250, it is possible to adjust the opening-sealing mask 204 to be superimposed over the target end face of the honeycombmoldedbody 250 at a prescribed position by the angle adjustment member 226. Also, because a heater is housed inside of the temperature control member 228 it is possible to control the temperature of the plug material paste to a prescribed temperature by this temperature control member 228.
  • the material of the opening-sealing mask 204 examples include metals such as stainless or nickel, resins such as epoxy resin, and ceramic or the like. Also, openings of circular shape or shapes having R-chamfered or C-chamfered angle portions are formed on the plugging mask 204 in correspondence to the cells to be filled with plug material paste. Here, it is preferable that the surface area of an individual opening of the opening-sealing mask be smaller than the surface area of its corresponding cell.
  • the opening-sealing mask 204 is disposed having the shock absorption member 227 made from silicon rubber or the like interposed between the plugging mask 204 and the rest of the apparatus. Also, in the honeycomb molded body opening-sealing apparatus 200, the flow adjustment plate 225 is disposed on the inlet side (the side opposite the side on which the opening-sealing mask is disposed) of the paste discharge tank 203.
  • the flow adjustment plate 225 By disposing the flow adjustment plate 225 it is possible to make uniform the inductance flow speed of the plug material paste inside of the paste discharge tank 203 with a central portion and a rim portion of the inlet, which, in cases filling the plug material paste into cells, results in it being possible to make uniform the amount of plug material paste filled into each cell.
  • FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the process (a means) spanning from the stage of analysis of the image of the end face of the honeycomb molded body to the stage of filling plug material paste into cells.
  • a masterwork having the same exterior shape as a honeycomb molded body aside from a point of having no cells and also having a plurality of bottomed holes formed on the end faces is firmly fixed to the molded body fixing portions 202 of the honeycomb molded body opening-sealing apparatus 200 as a reference sample, and an image of the targeted end face of this masterwork having bottomed holes formed therein is captured (step S1), and the point of origin coordinates are determined according to registering coordinates of the formation points of the bottomed holes in the image analysis apparatus (step S2).
  • step S3 the positions of the openings formed on the opening-sealing mask are then registered in the image analysis apparatus. Further, based on the opening positions registered in the step S3 and the size thereof, the areal gravity center of the openings formed on the opening-sealing mask is obtained (step S4).
  • the above mentioned processes (a) and (b) are executed before filling the plug material paste into the cells.
  • step S5 imagery of the targeted end face of the honeycomb molded body firmly fixed to the molded body fixing portions 202 of the honeycomb molded body opening-sealing apparatus 200 and moved following the rotation of the rotary table 201 is captured, and then it is registered in the image analysis apparatus (step S5). Then the captured image of the end face is analyzed in the above mentioned image analysis apparatus whereby the number of cells differing with design is calculated. And in a case in which that number is greater than a prescribed number, it is determined whether the honeycomb molded body in question is a faulty product; thus, the faulty product is separated from good product by determining other honeycomb molded bodies as good products (step S6).
  • a step S7 is carried out on the honeycomb molded bodies that are determined to be good product.
  • the opening-sealing treatment is at this point ended without carrying out the subsequent plug material paste filling process thereon.
  • step S7 binarization is carried out on the imagery of the end faces of the honeycomb molded bodies that are determined to be good product, and the areal gravity center of each cell is obtained based upon the image obtained according to the binarization (step S7).
  • the amount of deviation of the areal gravity center of the openings of the opening-sealing mask obtained in the above mentioned step S4 from the areal gravity center of each cell obtained in the above mentioned step S7 is calculated using the least square method (step S8).
  • the openings and cells which are the subject of calculation of the amount of deviation of the areal gravity center of the openings of the opening-sealing mask from the areal gravity center of the cells of the honeycomb molded body to be the entire count of the openings and the cells, as it is also acceptable to be a only portion of the openings and cells, for instance, all openings and cells aside from the two outermost rows of openings and cells.
  • step S9 the honeycomb molded body in question is determined to be a faulty product; thus, the faulty product is separated from good product by determining other honeycomb molded bodies as good products (step S9). Then the next process, a step S10, is carried out on the honeycomb molded bodies determined to be good product.
  • the opening-sealing treatment is at this point ended without carrying out the subsequent process of filling plug material paste into the cells.
  • the opening-sealing mask (paste discharge tank 203) is moved while aligning the position of the opening-sealing mask to thereby superimpose the opening-sealing mask over the targeted end face of the honeycomb molded body, and plug material paste is filled into the cells of the honeycomb molded body (step S10) from the paste discharge tank 203 thereby completing the opening-sealing of one end face of the honeycomb molded body.
  • the position alignment of the opening-sealing mask can be conducted by the angle adjustment member 226.
  • the position alignment of the opening-sealing mask with the cells is conducted based upon the amount of deviation from the areal gravity center calculated in the above mentioned step S8, it is also acceptable, for example, in cases in which the amount of deviation of all openings and cells except the two outermost rows of openings and cells has been calculated, to conduct position alignment with a separate means for the outer two rows after position alignment has been conducted based upon the amount of deviation from the above mentioned areal gravity center.
  • the honeycomb molded body opening-sealing apparatus 200 although the filling of the plug material paste is carried out on the honeycomb molded body which is firmly fixed to the prescribed position of the molded body fixing portions 202 disposed on the rotary table, this fixed position may come to deviate.
  • the temperature of the above mentioned plug material paste is in the range of 30 to 110 Degrees Celsius. If the temperature of the plug material paste is less than 30 Degrees Celsius there are cases in which the plug material paste cannot be filled into the cells due to it being easy for the viscosity of the plug material paste to become high, and alternately, if the temperature of the plug material paste exceeds 110 Degrees Celsius because at this temperature it is easy for the viscosity of the plug material paste to become low, giving rise to the concern that the ability of the filled plug material paste to maintain its shape deteriorates.
  • the viscosity of the above mentioned plug material paste prefferably be in the range of 35 to 50 Pa ⁇ s (Measured temperature 25 Degrees Celsius). At a viscosity of less than 35 Pa ⁇ s, the fluidity of the plug material paste becomes too high, giving rise to cases in which it is not possible to assuredly seal the cells due to the plug material paste coming to flow in toward the interior portion of the cell of the honeycomb molded body when filled into the cell.
  • the method of filling the plug material paste into the honeycomb molded body is not limited to the method of using a honeycomb molded body opening-sealing apparatus having the constitution described above, as it is also acceptable to conduct the filling of plug material paste into prescribed cells of a honeycomb molded body with an arbitrary method.
  • plug material paste is not particularly limited, one manufactured through the following processes that will come to have a plug porosity in the range of 30 to 70% is desirable, such as one using the same material as the above mentioned moist mixture, for example. Further, it is acceptable to adjust the filling amount of the plug material paste according to the shape of cells, and characteristics required for the plug material layer.
  • the plug material paste is dried using a hot air drying apparatus.
  • a hot air drying apparatus itself is not particularly limited as long as it is able to blow hot air to the end faces of a honeycomb molded body to which plug material paste has been filled, it is preferable to use a hot air drying apparatus comprising a conveyer member and hot air blow holes inside of a drying furnace, and these hot air blow holes are desirably formed at locations facing the end faces of the above mentioned honeycomb molded body.
  • Fig. 9 (a) is a plan view schematically showing the interior of a hot air drying apparatus used in drying of the plug material paste with the method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body of the present invention
  • Fig. 9(b) is a cross sectional view taken along line B-B of Fig. 9(a).
  • a belt conveyer 101 configured to function as a conveyance member on the floor portion of a drying furnace 102.
  • a honeycomb molded body 110 is placed on the belt conveyer 101 in a manner in which the longitudinal direction of the honeycomb molded body 110 is oriented in the direction orthogonal to the direction of movement.
  • This honeycomb molded body 110 is conveyed into the interior of the hot air drying apparatus 100 through the entryway, and after a prescribed period of time has passed, is conveyed out through the exit of the hot air drying apparatus 100.
  • the movement of the belt conveyer 101 here is set to be carried out at a constant rate of speed.
  • hot air blow holes 105 are disposed in rows spanning the entirety of the interior of the drying oven 102 on both sides of the belt conveyer 101 at locations facing the end faces of the honeycomb molded body 110.
  • hot air blown from the air blow holes 105 toward the honeycomb molded body 110 dries the plug material paste.
  • the honeycomb molded body 110 placed on the belt conveyer 101 moves through the hot air drying machine 100 following the movement of the belt conveyer 101, and the plug material paste formed at the end portions of the cells of the honeycomb molded body 110 is dried by the hot air blown from both sides of the belt conveyer.
  • the hot air drying machine 100 shown in Figs. 9(a) and 9(b) has a constitution enabling hot air to be blown to both end faces of the honeycomb molded body 110 simultaneously. According to blowing hot air to both end faces of the honeycomb molded body 110 simultaneously, both end portions (surface) of the plug material paste filled into the cells of the honeycomb molded body come to be dried first, so even if the plug material paste on the inside of the honeycomb molded body has fluidity at the stage of the first drying, both end portions of the plug material paste are in a hardened state.
  • the temperature of the hot air blown to the end faces of the honeycomb molded body be in the range of 140 to 210 Degrees Celsius. If the above mentioned hot air temperature is less than 140 Degrees Celsius, the plug material paste does not dry sufficiently which leads to cases in which after drying, the plug material paste will start to flow, and after the completion of the subsequent firing process, it becomes impossible to form a plug material layer of desired shape. Alternately, if the temperature of the hot air is more than 210 Degrees Celsius, there are cases in which the drying of the plug material paste comes to advance sharply, cases in which drying itself becomes excessive, and cases of concavities (recesses) or cracks coming to be generated in the plug material paste.
  • the period of time over which the above mentioned hot air is blown be in the range of 2 to 7 minutes. If the above mentioned period of time over which the above mentioned hot air is blown is less than 2 minutes, the plugmaterial paste does not dry sufficiently which leads to cases in which after drying, the plug material paste will start to flow, and after the completion of the subsequent firing process, it becomes impossible to form a plug material layer of desired shape.
  • the term 'period of time over which hot air is blown' in the drying process of the above mentioned plug material paste refers to the total period of time over which hot air is blown to the end faces of the honeycomb molded body.
  • the period of time spent passing through the interior of the drying furnace equates to the period of time over which hot air is blown to the honeycomb molded body.
  • the wind speed at which the above mentioned hot air is blown be in the range of 10 to 30 m/sec. This is because, in a case in which the above mentioned hot air is blown at a wind speed of less than 10 m/sec, there arise cases in which the plug material paste does not dry sufficiently. And alternately, in a case in which the above mentioned hot air is blown at a wind speed of more than 30 m/sec, there arise cases in which the formed plug material paste undergoes deformation due to the blown air being too fast.
  • the movement speed of the above mentioned belt conveyer may be selected in consideration of the size of the honeycomb molded body 110, it is preferable that the movement speed of the above mentioned belt conveyer be in the range of 0.4 to 1.0 m/min. If the movement speed of the above mentioned belt conveyer is less than 0. 4 m/min, the honeycomb molded body remains inside the hot air drying apparatus for some time even after it has been sufficiently dried, which makes it impossible to carry out drying in an efficient manner. And alternately, if the movement speed of the above mentioned belt conveyer is more than 1 m/min, there arise cases in which it is impossible to carry out sufficient drying of the plug material paste since the belt conveyer is moving too fast.
  • the hot air drying machine 100 shown in Figs. 9(a) and 9(b) comprises a belt conveyer as a conveyance member
  • the conveyance member comprised by the hot air drying apparatus used in the manufacturing method of the present invention is not limited to being a belt conveyer, and may instead be a chain conveyer, a roller conveyer, a palette conveyer, or the like for instance.
  • the conveyance member moves continuously or intermittently.
  • the speed thereof may be set to a constant rate of speed or may be changed while the conveyance member is moving.
  • the hot air blow holes are formed spanning the entirety of the drying furnace from the entryway side to the exit side, in the hot air drying apparatus used in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the above mentioned hot air blow holes are not necessarily formed spanning the entirety of the drying oven from the entryway side to the exit side, as it is also acceptable to form the hot air blow holes in a manner leaving space intervals in between adjacent hot air blow holes.
  • the above mentioned honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus comprises: a flat plate disposed so as to face the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body in a parallel manner; and a first flat plate movement mechanism for moving the flat plate while maintaining the state in which the flat plate faces the end face in a parallel manner, the first flat plate movement mechanism configured to move the flat plate so that the flat plate is pressed against the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body.
  • honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus already described herein above as the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus used in this manner in the present manufacturing method, and it is also possible to optimally employ the use of the sealing method of a honeycomb molded body of the present invention as the method of carrying out flattening using this honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus desirably further comprises:
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus desirably further comprises: an adhered material removal mechanism for removing material adhering to a face of the flat plate which is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body. Since it is possible to thereby remove material adhering to the flat plate upon end face treatment in an efficient manner it is possible to carry out continuous end face treatment without remaining adhered material interfering with the subsequent end face treatment.
  • the face of the flat plate which is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body desirably has a surface roughness Ra of 0.04 to 4.0 ⁇ m.
  • a weight at which the flat plate is to be pressed against the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body desirably is in the range of 9.8 to 49N (1 to 5kgf). If the above mentioned weight is in the above mentioned range, it is possible to carry out effective flattening of the end faces while suppressing deformation of the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body, or the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body itself.
  • the shortest distance in between a plane surface comprising an end portion of the cell wall and a most protruded portion or a most recessed portion of the plug material paste with respect to the plane surface desirably is 1 mm or less. If the plug material paste exhibits this kind of shape, it is possible to attain an excellent external appearance, and it is also possible to prevent the kind of damage that may arise from accidental contact or the like on protruded or recessed portions of the plug material paste.
  • the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus desirably is provided with two of the flat plates, and the first flat plate movement mechanism is configured to move each of the two flat plates so that each of the two flat plates are pressed against respective end faces at both ends of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body.
  • the first flat plate movement mechanism is configured to move each of the two flat plates so that each of the two flat plates are pressed against respective end faces at both ends of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body.
  • a cell-sealed honeycomb fired body (see Figs. 5(a) and 5(b)) in which one of the end portions of the above mentioned cells are sealed, the same honeycomb fired body comprising a multitude of cells placed in parallel with one another in the longitudinal direction with a cell wall therebetween, and which is constituted as a single fired body as a whole.
  • the shortest distance in between the plane surface comprising the end portion of the cell wall and the most protruded portion or the most recessed portion of the plug material paste with respect to the plane surface desirably is 1 mm or less. If the end portion of the plug material paste on the end faces of the above mentioned cell-sealed honeycomb fired body fulfill a relationship of the sort mentioned above, it is possible to ultimately produce a honeycomb structured body, using the cell-sealed honeycomb fired body, having its end faces in a picturesque state. Also, when producing a honeycomb filter using the above mentioned honeycomb structured body, it is possible to effectively prevent the end faces of the honeycomb structured body from being damaged when situating the honeycomb structured body inside of the casing.
  • the above mentioned conditions under which degreasing and firing are carried out on the above mentioned cell-sealed honeycomb molded body can be the same conditions that have been used conventionally when manufacturing a filter comprising porous ceramic.
  • a sealing material paste layer is formed by coating the side face of the cell-sealed honeycomb fired body with a sealing material paste, which is to be a sealing material layer (adhesive layer), of uniform thickness, and another cell-sealed honeycomb fired body is stacked to this sealing material paste layer in succession. Repeating the above mentioned procedure will yield a cell-sealed honeycomb fired body aggregate of prescribed size.
  • a cell-sealed honeycomb fired body aggregate when producing the cell-sealed honeycomb fired body aggregate, it is also acceptable to produce a cell-sealed honeycomb fired body aggregate by assembling in advance a plurality of cell-sealed honeycomb fired bodies by interposing spacers therebetween, and afterward pouring the sealing material paste into the spaces in between the cell-sealed honeycomb fired bodies.
  • silica sol is most preferable for use.
  • polyvinylalcohol methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, carboxy methylcellulose, and the like, for example, as the above mentioned organic binder. Also, it is acceptable to use the above singly, or use a combination of two or more of them in parallel. Of the above mentioned organic binders, carboxy methylcellulose is most preferable for use.
  • ceramic fibers such as silica-alumina, mullite, alumina and silica, for example, as the above mentioned inorganic fiber. Also, it is acceptable to use the above singly, or use a combination of two or more of them in parallel. Of the above mentioned inorganic fiber, alumina fiber is most preferable for use.
  • carbide, nitride, and the like for example, as the above mentioned inorganic particle. More specifically, it is acceptable to use inorganic powder and the likecomprisedof siliconcarbide, siliconnitride, boronnitride, or the like, for example, as the above mentioned inorganic particle. It is acceptable to use the above singly, or use a combination of two or more of them in parallel. Of the above mentioned inorganic particle, silicon carbide, which excels in its thermal conductivity properties, is most preferable for use.
  • a pore-forming agent such as balloon which is a micro sized hollow sphere, spherical acrylic granule, or graphite, having oxide based ceramic as a component therein, to the above mentioned sealing material paste.
  • balloon is not particularly limited, as alumina balloons, glass micro balloon, shirasu balloon, fly ash balloon (FA balloon), mullite balloon and the like, for example, are all acceptable for use.
  • alumina balloon is the most preferable for use.
  • the cell-sealed honeycomb fired body aggregate is heated to dry the sealing material paste layer, which then hardens to become the sealing material layer (the adhesive layer).
  • a cutting process is carried out on the honeycomb fired body aggregate comprising a plurality of cell-sealed honeycomb fired bodies bonded to one another by interposing the sealing material layer (adhesive layer), thereby producing a cylindrical ceramic block.
  • another sealing material layer (a coat layer) is formed by forming the above mentioned sealing material paste to the outer periphery of the ceramic block.
  • a honeycomb structured body having the sealing material layer (coat layer) formed on the outer peripheral portion of a cylindrical ceramic block comprising a plurality of cell-sealed honeycomb fired bodies bonded to one another by interposing the sealing material layer (adhesive layer).
  • a catalyst is supported on the honeycomb structured body as needed. It is also acceptable to support the above mentioned catalyst onto the cell-sealed honeycomb fired bodies, before the cell-sealed honeycomb fired bodies are manufactured into the cell-sealed honeycomb fired body aggregate.
  • a film of alumina which has a high specific surface area, be formed onto the surface of the honeycomb structured body, and a co-catalyst or a catalyst such as platinum is applied to the surface of the alumina film.
  • the honeycomb structured body manufactured according to the manufacturing method of the present invention can also be an integral honeycomb structured body having a constitution of a cell-sealed honeycomb fired body of a single cylindrical ceramic block.
  • the only aspect that is different than in a case of manufacturing the aggregated honeycomb structured body is that the size of the honeycomb molded body, that is extrusion molded, is larger than that in the case of manufacturing an aggregated honeycomb structured body, all other aspects used to manufacture an integral honeycomb structured body are identical to those used in manufacturing an aggregated honeycomb structured body.
  • the honeycomb molded body is produced by cutting the above-mentioned ceramic molded body with the molded body cutting apparatus.
  • the above mentioned honeycomb molded body is dried out.
  • the cutting process is executed, cutting both of the end portions of the dried honeycomb molded body.
  • honeycomb structured body With the above explained method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body it is possible to manufacture a honeycomb structured body with good operational efficiency. Also, in a case of manufacturing a honeycomb structured body according to the above described method, since the end faces of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body are flattened by the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus, it is possible to effectively maintain a degree of flatness on the end faces of the cell-sealed honeycomb fired body or the honeycomb structured body obtained through the subsequent firing treatment as well. And it is also possible to efficiently suppress changes in the shape of the end face as well as physical properties and the like that change in correspondence with the shape of the end face.
  • the end portion of the plug material paste exists within a prescribed range pertaining to concavities or convexities of plug on the end face of the cell-sealed honeycomb fired body, it is possible to effectively maintain flatness on the end faces of the honeycomb structured body. Because of this, it is possible to obtain a constant external appearance, and also, when situating the honeycomb structured body inside of a casing for the purpose of using the honeycomb structured body as an exhaust gas purifying filter, it is possible to prevent cracking and the like from occurring on the end face which would be caused by the end face making contact with the casing.
  • honeycomb structured body of the present invention by taking a honeycomb structured body which can be suitably used as a honeycomb filter for capturing particulates in exhaust gases as an example.
  • the honeycomb structured body of the present invention may be manufactured without being filled with a plug material paste as mentioned above, and the honeycomb structured body in which the end portion of the cells is not sealed with the plug may be suitably used as a catalyst supporting carrier, and such a honeycomb structured body may exert the same effects as those of a honeycomb structured body used as a honeycomb filter.
  • ⁇ -type silicon carbide powder having an average particle diameter of 10 ⁇ m (250 kg), ⁇ -type silicon carbide powder having an average particle diameter of 0.5 ⁇ m (100 kg), and organic binder (methylcellulose) (20 kg) were blended together to prepare a powder mixture.
  • 12 kg of lubricating agent (UNILUB, manufactured by NOF Corp.) 5 kg of plasticizer (glycerin), and 65 kg of water were blended in a separate container to prepare a liquid mixture.
  • the powder mixture and the liquidmixture were blended together, thereby preparing the moist mixture.
  • the moisture content of the moist mixture prepared here was 14% by weight.
  • the moist mixture was conveyed to the extrusion molding machine where it was inducted into a raw material induction port of the extrusion molding machine. And the moisture content of the moist mixture at just before its induction into the extrusion molding machine was 13.5% by weight. Then, a honeycomb molded body was produced by extrusion molding of this moist mixture, and subsequent cutting of the extruded molded body. Afterward, the above mentioned honeycomb molded body was dried using a microwave drying apparatus.
  • a plug material paste having the same composition as the above mentioned honeycomb molded body was filled into prescribed cells.
  • the specifications of the constituent members of the honeycomb molded body opening-sealing apparatus were as follows.
  • Plug material paste temperature 70 Degrees Celsius (inside of the paste dispenser tank)
  • Plug material paste viscosity 42 Pa ⁇ s (at time of preparation, measured temperature: 25 Degrees Celsius)
  • Uniaxial screw pump Robo-dispenser 3NDPL06G15, manufactured by Heishin Ltd.
  • Plug material paste dispensing time 1.6 seconds
  • Plug material paste filling amount 5 g/each face
  • the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body that has been filled with plug material paste was inducted into the hot air drying apparatus shown in Figs. 9(a) and 9(b), where the plug material paste was dried by blowing hot air to the end face of the honeycomb molded body.
  • the specifications of the hot air drying apparatus were as follows. Belt conveyer length: 2.6 m Hot air temperature: 190 Degrees Celsius Hot air blowing time: 3.7 minutes The above mentioned time period of blowing the hot air is adjusted by the movement speed of the belt conveyer which is configured to move continuously at a constant rate of speed. The movement speed of the belt conveyer was 0.7 m/min.
  • both end faces of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body were flattened using the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus of the present invention. More specifically, in the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 shown in Figs. 1-1 and 1-2, the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body was conveyed to the central portion of the honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus by the induction conveyer 11 where it was placed on the molded body placement platform 17 by the transport arm 12.
  • the first flat plate movement mechanism 21 was driven to press the two flat plates 20, the press faces of whichhad a surface roughness Ra of 0.04 ⁇ m, against both end faces of the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 at a weight of 29.4N (3kgf) for 2.0 seconds, at which time the second flat plate movement mechanism 22 was driven to rotate the two flat plates 20, which were in a state of being pressed against the end faces, 45° to thereby flatten both end faces.
  • the flat plates 20 were retracted, at which time the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body 1 was conveyed to the carrying-out conveyer 14 by the transport arm 12 while material adhering to the flat plates was removed by a rotary brush employed into use as the adhered material removal mechanism, thus completing a sequence of the end face treatment.
  • Degreasing was carried out at 400 Degrees Celsius to the cell-sealed honeycomb molded body that has passed through the end face treatment, and then firing was carried out for three hours at atmospheric pressure in an argon atmosphere at 2200 Degrees Celsius, thereby producing a cell-sealed honeycomb fired body made from a silicon carbide sintered body having a porosity of 40%, an average pore diameter of 12.5 ⁇ m, dimensions of 34.3 mm ⁇ 34.3 mm ⁇ 150 mm, with a number of cells (cell density) of 46.5 pcs/cm 2 , and a cell wall thickness of 0.20 mm. The above mentioned procedure was repeated to produce 1000 pcs of cell-sealed honeycomb fired bodies.
  • honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 which has the flat plate (s) 20 with a press face surface roughness Ra of 0.14 ⁇ m, to carry out the end face treatment, 1000 pcs of cell-sealed honeycomb fired bodies were produced in the same manner as in the Example 1.
  • honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 which has the flat plate (s) 20 with a press face surface roughness Ra of 1.3 ⁇ m, to carry out the end face treatment, 1000 pcs of cell-sealed honeycomb fired bodies were produced in the same manner as in the Example 1.
  • honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 which has the flat plate (s) 20 with a press face surface roughness Ra of 4.0 ⁇ m, to carry out the end face treatment, 1000 pcs of cell-sealed honeycomb fired bodies were produced in the same manner as in the Example 1.
  • honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus 10 which has the flat plate (s) 20 with a press face surface roughness Ra of 8.0 ⁇ m, to carry out the end face treatment, 1000 pcs of cell-sealed honeycomb fired bodies were produced in the same manner as in the Example 1.
  • the occurrence rate of cracking was a low rate of 0.7% or less, there was no presence of adhered material, and peeling of the plug of the end faces was either absent or present at a negligible amount.
  • the protruded amount or the recessed amount of the plug material paste of the end faces thereof was 0 mm, or the recessed amount was 0.3 mm.
  • Fig. 1-1 is a vertical cross sectional view schematically showing an example of an embodiment of a honeycomb molded body end face treating apparatus of the present invention.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Geometry (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Toxicology (AREA)
  • Devices For Post-Treatments, Processing, Supply, Discharge, And Other Processes (AREA)
EP07005685A 2006-05-17 2007-03-20 Utilisation d'un Appareil pour le traitement de la face de l'extrémité d'un corps moulé en nid d'abeille pour l'applanissement de celle-ci et procédé pour la fabrication d'un corps moulé en nid d'abeille Active EP1857163B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP11190488A EP2433697A1 (fr) 2006-05-17 2007-03-20 procédé de scellage de corps moulé en nid d'abeille.

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/JP2006/309825 WO2007132530A1 (fr) 2006-05-17 2006-05-17 Appareil de finition de face d'extrémité pour moulage alvéolaire, procédé d'obturation de moulage alvéolaire et processus de fabrication de structure alvéolaire

Related Child Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP11190488.4 Division-Into 2011-11-24

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1857163A1 true EP1857163A1 (fr) 2007-11-21
EP1857163B1 EP1857163B1 (fr) 2012-04-25

Family

ID=38209534

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP11190488A Withdrawn EP2433697A1 (fr) 2006-05-17 2007-03-20 procédé de scellage de corps moulé en nid d'abeille.
EP07005685A Active EP1857163B1 (fr) 2006-05-17 2007-03-20 Utilisation d'un Appareil pour le traitement de la face de l'extrémité d'un corps moulé en nid d'abeille pour l'applanissement de celle-ci et procédé pour la fabrication d'un corps moulé en nid d'abeille

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP11190488A Withdrawn EP2433697A1 (fr) 2006-05-17 2007-03-20 procédé de scellage de corps moulé en nid d'abeille.

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US7727451B2 (fr)
EP (2) EP2433697A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2007132530A1 (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2098273A1 (fr) * 2006-12-27 2009-09-09 Hitachi Metals, Ltd. Filtre en nid d'abeilles céramique et son procédé de fabrication
CN101386138B (zh) * 2008-09-16 2010-04-21 浙江大学 向蜂窝柔性材料中填充铁粉的自动填充系统
EP2505253A1 (fr) * 2011-03-29 2012-10-03 NGK Insulators, Ltd. Structure en nid d'abeille raccordée
EP2508241A1 (fr) * 2011-03-29 2012-10-10 NGK Insulators, Ltd. Structure en nid d'abeille raccordée

Families Citing this family (49)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1775009A1 (fr) * 1999-09-29 2007-04-18 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Filtre en nid d' abeilles et ensemble de filtres ceramiques
JPWO2003067041A1 (ja) 2002-02-05 2005-06-02 イビデン株式会社 排気ガス浄化用ハニカムフィルタ、接着剤、塗布材、及び、排気ガス浄化用ハニカムフィルタの製造方法
WO2003081001A1 (fr) 2002-03-22 2003-10-02 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Filtre en nid d'abeille pour clarification de gaz d'echappement
US7648547B2 (en) 2002-04-10 2010-01-19 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Honeycomb filter for clarifying exhaust gas
JP4386830B2 (ja) * 2002-04-11 2009-12-16 イビデン株式会社 排気ガス浄化用ハニカムフィルタ
WO2005026074A1 (fr) * 2003-09-12 2005-03-24 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Comprimé en céramique frittée et filtre en céramique
WO2005045210A1 (fr) * 2003-11-05 2005-05-19 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Procede de production d'un corps a structure en nid d'abeille et materiau de scellement
DE602004014271D1 (de) * 2004-05-06 2008-07-17 Ibiden Co Ltd Wabenstruktur und herstellungsverfahren dafür
EP1743685A4 (fr) * 2004-05-18 2007-06-06 Ibiden Co Ltd Structure en nid d'abeilles et dispositif d'epuration des gaz d'echappement
EP1795262B1 (fr) * 2004-09-30 2010-01-27 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure alvéolaire
WO2006041174A1 (fr) * 2004-10-12 2006-04-20 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure alveolaire ceramique
JP4870657B2 (ja) * 2005-02-04 2012-02-08 イビデン株式会社 セラミックハニカム構造体およびその製造方法
JP2006223983A (ja) * 2005-02-17 2006-08-31 Ibiden Co Ltd ハニカム構造体
JP4870559B2 (ja) 2005-03-28 2012-02-08 イビデン株式会社 ハニカム構造体
WO2006117899A1 (fr) * 2005-04-28 2006-11-09 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure en nid d’abeille
CN1954137B (zh) * 2005-07-21 2011-12-21 揖斐电株式会社 蜂窝结构体以及废气净化装置
WO2007058007A1 (fr) 2005-11-18 2007-05-24 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure en nid d'abeilles
WO2007086143A1 (fr) * 2006-01-30 2007-08-02 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Procede d'inspection d'un corps de structure en nid d'abeilles et procede de production d'un corps de structure en nid d'abeilles
WO2007094075A1 (fr) * 2006-02-17 2007-08-23 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Unité d'assemblage et unité de desassemblage de dispositif de fixation pour le séchage, appareil de circulation dudit dispositif, procédé de séchage de moulage en céramique, et procédé de production de structure en nid d'abeille
WO2007096986A1 (fr) * 2006-02-24 2007-08-30 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Dispositif de chauffage de face d'extremite, procede de sechage de la face d'extremite d'un assemblage en nid d'abeille et procede de production de structures en nid d'abeille
WO2007097000A1 (fr) * 2006-02-24 2007-08-30 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Dispositif de scellage des extremites pour corps en nid d'abeille, procede d'application de materiau de scellement en pate et procede de production d'un corps a structure en nid d'abeille
PL1826517T3 (pl) * 2006-02-28 2009-01-30 Ibiden Co Ltd Suszący przyrząd obróbkowy, sposób suszenia wytłoczonego korpusu o strukturze plastra miodu oraz sposób wytwarzania formowanego korpusu o strukturze plastra miodu
WO2007102217A1 (fr) * 2006-03-08 2007-09-13 Ibiden Co., Ltd. refroidisseur de corps cuit, four de cuisson, procédé de refroidissement de corps cuit céramique, et processus de fabrication de structure alvéolaire
WO2007122680A1 (fr) * 2006-04-13 2007-11-01 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Machine de moulage par extrusion, procédé de moulage par extrusion et procédé destiné à produire une structure en nid d'abeille
EP1880817A1 (fr) * 2006-06-05 2008-01-23 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Méthode pour la coupe d'une structure en nid d'abeilles
WO2008047404A1 (fr) * 2006-10-16 2008-04-24 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Support de montage pour structure alvéolaire et dispositif d'inspection pour structure alvéolaire
WO2008139581A1 (fr) * 2007-05-09 2008-11-20 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Procédé de production d'une matière première pour la cuisson de carbure de silicium et procédé de production d'une structure en nid d'abeille
WO2008149435A1 (fr) * 2007-06-06 2008-12-11 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Gabarit de cuisson et procédé de fabrication d'une structure en nid d'abeilles
WO2008155856A1 (fr) 2007-06-21 2008-12-24 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure en nid d'abeille et son procédé de production
US7722791B2 (en) * 2007-07-18 2010-05-25 Ngk Insulators, Ltd. Method for manufacturing honeycomb structure and manufacturing apparatus thereof
US7919033B2 (en) * 2007-07-18 2011-04-05 Ngk Insulators, Ltd. Method of manufacturing honeycomb structure and manufacturing apparatus thereof
JP5180835B2 (ja) * 2007-10-31 2013-04-10 イビデン株式会社 ハニカム構造体用梱包体、及び、ハニカム構造体の輸送方法
WO2009066388A1 (fr) * 2007-11-21 2009-05-28 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure en nid-d'abeilles et son procédé de production
WO2009073094A2 (fr) * 2007-11-30 2009-06-11 Corning Incorporated Procédé permettant de boucher des corps en nid d'abeilles
WO2009101682A1 (fr) 2008-02-13 2009-08-20 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure en nid d'abeilles, appareil de purification de gaz d'échappement et processus de production d'une structure en nid d'abeilles
WO2009101683A1 (fr) 2008-02-13 2009-08-20 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Processus de production d'une structure en nid d'abeilles
WO2009107230A1 (fr) * 2008-02-29 2009-09-03 イビデン株式会社 Matière d'étanchéité pour structure en nid d'abeilles, structure en nid d'abeilles et procédé pour produire une structure en nid d'abeilles
WO2009118813A1 (fr) * 2008-03-24 2009-10-01 イビデン株式会社 Structure en nid d'abeille et son procédé de production
WO2009118814A1 (fr) * 2008-03-24 2009-10-01 イビデン株式会社 Filtre en nid d'abeilles
WO2009118862A1 (fr) * 2008-03-27 2009-10-01 イビデン株式会社 Procédé de production d'une structure en nid d'abeilles
US20110076443A1 (en) 2009-09-30 2011-03-31 Ngk Insulators, Ltd. Honeycomb structure and method for manufacturing the same
CN102791448A (zh) * 2010-03-30 2012-11-21 住友化学株式会社 蜂窝构造体的制造方法
US9499442B1 (en) * 2013-03-15 2016-11-22 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Method for manufacturing aluminum-titanate-based ceramic honeycomb structure
US9028741B1 (en) * 2013-03-15 2015-05-12 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Method for manufacturing aluminum-titanate-based ceramic honeycomb structure
CN103341365B (zh) * 2013-07-19 2015-04-15 冯天 催化剂载体成型设备及催化剂载体半成品移条部件
WO2018013753A1 (fr) * 2016-07-13 2018-01-18 Corning Incorporated Système et procédés de colmatage de corps en nid d'abeilles en céramique
CN108645121A (zh) * 2018-08-08 2018-10-12 烟台冰轮医药装备有限公司北京分公司 一种原料药冷冻干燥机的板层系统
CN110814709B (zh) * 2019-11-26 2020-11-20 常州鑫邦板业有限公司 一种铝蜂窝幕墙板制造加工方法
CN112943414B (zh) * 2021-04-06 2021-09-28 宜兴市锦龙陶瓷有限公司 薄壁柴油机尾气净化用蜂窝陶瓷载体堵孔设备及堵孔工艺

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4573896A (en) 1981-07-15 1986-03-04 Corning Glass Works Apparatus for selectively manifolding honeycomb structures
JP2004290766A (ja) 2003-03-26 2004-10-21 Ngk Insulators Ltd ハニカム構造体の製造方法

Family Cites Families (95)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2303888A (en) * 1940-05-08 1942-12-01 William J Miller Cutting off plastic ceramic bodies from parent masses
US3904551A (en) * 1973-12-19 1975-09-09 Grace W R & Co Process for preparing an auto exhaust catalytic converter
JPS577215A (en) * 1980-06-16 1982-01-14 Ngk Insulators Ltd Preparation of ceramic honeycomb filter
US5021204A (en) * 1981-07-15 1991-06-04 Corning Incorporated Method for selectively charging honeycomb structures
US5914187A (en) * 1996-01-12 1999-06-22 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Ceramic structural body
JPH10314523A (ja) * 1997-05-21 1998-12-02 Ibiden Co Ltd 端面封止システム、ハニカムフィルタの製造方法
EP1775009A1 (fr) * 1999-09-29 2007-04-18 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Filtre en nid d' abeilles et ensemble de filtres ceramiques
JP4497653B2 (ja) * 2000-05-10 2010-07-07 日本碍子株式会社 セラミック体の製造方法
ATE332883T1 (de) * 2001-04-23 2006-08-15 Dow Global Technologies Inc Verfahren zur herstellung eines monolithischen wanddurchflussfilters
US20040161596A1 (en) * 2001-05-31 2004-08-19 Noriyuki Taoka Porous ceramic sintered body and method of producing the same, and diesel particulate filter
CN101126335B (zh) * 2002-02-05 2011-10-26 揖斐电株式会社 废气净化用蜂巢式过滤器
JPWO2003067041A1 (ja) * 2002-02-05 2005-06-02 イビデン株式会社 排気ガス浄化用ハニカムフィルタ、接着剤、塗布材、及び、排気ガス浄化用ハニカムフィルタの製造方法
US6809139B2 (en) * 2002-02-28 2004-10-26 Corning Incorporated Particulate sealant for filter plug forming
CN100365252C (zh) * 2002-03-04 2008-01-30 揖斐电株式会社 废气净化用蜂巢式过滤器以及废气净化装置
DE60314188T2 (de) * 2002-03-15 2008-02-21 Ibiden Co., Ltd., Ogaki Keramikfilter zur Abgasreinigung
WO2003081001A1 (fr) * 2002-03-22 2003-10-02 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Filtre en nid d'abeille pour clarification de gaz d'echappement
EP1495790A4 (fr) * 2002-04-09 2005-01-26 Ibiden Co Ltd Filtre en nid d'abeille pour la clarification d'un gaz d'echappement
US7648547B2 (en) * 2002-04-10 2010-01-19 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Honeycomb filter for clarifying exhaust gas
JP4386830B2 (ja) * 2002-04-11 2009-12-16 イビデン株式会社 排気ガス浄化用ハニカムフィルタ
WO2004052502A1 (fr) * 2002-12-11 2004-06-24 Ngk Insulators, Ltd. Corps a structure en nid d'abeille scelle et procede de production de celui-ci
US7504359B2 (en) * 2003-02-28 2009-03-17 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Ceramic honeycomb structure
JPWO2004106702A1 (ja) * 2003-05-06 2006-07-20 イビデン株式会社 ハニカム構造体
WO2005026074A1 (fr) * 2003-09-12 2005-03-24 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Comprimé en céramique frittée et filtre en céramique
JP4771195B2 (ja) * 2003-09-29 2011-09-14 日立金属株式会社 セラミックハニカムフィルタ及びその製造方法、セラミックハニカムフィルタ用目封止材
WO2005045210A1 (fr) * 2003-11-05 2005-05-19 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Procede de production d'un corps a structure en nid d'abeille et materiau de scellement
DE602004021144D1 (de) * 2003-11-12 2009-06-25 Ibiden Co Ltd Verfahren zur Herstellung der Keramikstruktur
US7387829B2 (en) * 2004-01-13 2008-06-17 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Honeycomb structure, porous body, pore forming material for the porous body, and methods for manufacturing the pore forming material, the porous body and the honeycomb structure
WO2005099865A1 (fr) * 2004-04-05 2005-10-27 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure alvéolaire, procédé de fabrication de structure alvéolaire, et dispositif de contrôle d’émission d’échappement
DE602004014271D1 (de) * 2004-05-06 2008-07-17 Ibiden Co Ltd Wabenstruktur und herstellungsverfahren dafür
EP1743685A4 (fr) * 2004-05-18 2007-06-06 Ibiden Co Ltd Structure en nid d'abeilles et dispositif d'epuration des gaz d'echappement
WO2006003736A1 (fr) * 2004-07-01 2006-01-12 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Dispositif de serrage pour céramique de cuisson et méthode de fabrication de corps en céramique poreuse
WO2006013931A1 (fr) * 2004-08-04 2006-02-09 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Four de cuisson et procédé de fabrication d’un article cuit céramique poreux utilisant le four de cuisson
PL1710523T3 (pl) * 2004-08-04 2008-09-30 Ibiden Co Ltd Piec do wypalania o działaniu ciągłym i sposób wytwarzania porowatego elementu ceramicznego za jego pomocą
PL1662219T3 (pl) * 2004-08-04 2009-02-27 Ibiden Co Ltd Piec do wypalania oraz sposób wytwarzania w nim porowatego elementu ceramicznego
JPWO2006013932A1 (ja) * 2004-08-06 2008-05-01 イビデン株式会社 焼成炉及びその焼成炉を用いた多孔質セラミック焼成体の製造方法
EP1677063A4 (fr) * 2004-08-25 2007-05-30 Ibiden Co Ltd KILN et méthode pour fabriquer un produit cuit céramique poreuse utilisant le KILN
EP1795262B1 (fr) * 2004-09-30 2010-01-27 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure alvéolaire
EP1795261A4 (fr) * 2004-09-30 2009-07-08 Ibiden Co Ltd Structure alvéolaire
WO2006041174A1 (fr) * 2004-10-12 2006-04-20 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure alveolaire ceramique
WO2006057344A1 (fr) * 2004-11-26 2006-06-01 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure en nid d'abeille
EP1911570B1 (fr) * 2004-12-21 2009-05-20 Corning Incorporated Procédé et appareil de bouchage pour filtres à particules
JP5088953B2 (ja) * 2004-12-21 2012-12-05 コーニング インコーポレイテッド 粒子状物質フィルタの閉塞方法および装置
WO2006070504A1 (fr) * 2004-12-28 2006-07-06 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Filtre et agrégat filtrant
JP4880581B2 (ja) * 2005-02-04 2012-02-22 イビデン株式会社 セラミックハニカム構造体
JP4870657B2 (ja) * 2005-02-04 2012-02-08 イビデン株式会社 セラミックハニカム構造体およびその製造方法
JP2006223983A (ja) * 2005-02-17 2006-08-31 Ibiden Co Ltd ハニカム構造体
JP4812316B2 (ja) * 2005-03-16 2011-11-09 イビデン株式会社 ハニカム構造体
JP4927405B2 (ja) * 2005-03-23 2012-05-09 日本碍子株式会社 目封止ハニカム構造体の製造方法
JPWO2006103811A1 (ja) * 2005-03-28 2008-09-04 イビデン株式会社 ハニカム構造体
JP4870559B2 (ja) * 2005-03-28 2012-02-08 イビデン株式会社 ハニカム構造体
CN101146742B (zh) * 2005-03-30 2013-05-01 揖斐电株式会社 含碳化硅颗粒、制造碳化硅质烧结体的方法、碳化硅质烧结体以及过滤器
JP4805823B2 (ja) * 2005-04-07 2011-11-02 イビデン株式会社 ハニカム構造体
JP2006289237A (ja) * 2005-04-08 2006-10-26 Ibiden Co Ltd ハニカム構造体
WO2006117899A1 (fr) * 2005-04-28 2006-11-09 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure en nid d’abeille
WO2006126278A1 (fr) * 2005-05-27 2006-11-30 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Corps de structure alveolaire
EP1752390B1 (fr) 2005-06-06 2011-09-28 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Utilisation d'un materiau d'emballage et procede de transport d'une structure en nid d'abeilles
CN1954137B (zh) * 2005-07-21 2011-12-21 揖斐电株式会社 蜂窝结构体以及废气净化装置
JPWO2007015550A1 (ja) * 2005-08-03 2009-02-19 イビデン株式会社 炭化珪素質焼成用治具及び多孔質炭化珪素体の製造方法
CN100540111C (zh) * 2005-08-26 2009-09-16 揖斐电株式会社 蜂窝结构体及其制造方法
CN101146589B (zh) * 2005-09-28 2010-11-24 揖斐电株式会社 蜂窝式过滤器
JPWO2007039991A1 (ja) * 2005-10-05 2009-04-16 イビデン株式会社 押出成形用金型及び多孔質セラミック部材の製造方法
WO2007043245A1 (fr) * 2005-10-12 2007-04-19 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Unité en nid d’abeilles et structure en nid d’abeilles
KR100855167B1 (ko) * 2005-11-18 2008-08-29 이비덴 가부시키가이샤 벌집형 구조체
WO2007058007A1 (fr) * 2005-11-18 2007-05-24 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure en nid d'abeilles
CN101312809A (zh) * 2005-12-26 2008-11-26 揖斐电株式会社 蜂窝结构体的制造方法
WO2007074528A1 (fr) * 2005-12-27 2007-07-05 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Gabarit de dégraissage, procédé de dégraissage de céramique moulée, et processus de fabrication de structure alvéolaire
CN101312895A (zh) * 2005-12-27 2008-11-26 揖斐电株式会社 搬运装置和蜂窝结构体的制造方法
JPWO2007086183A1 (ja) * 2006-01-27 2009-06-18 イビデン株式会社 ハニカム構造体及びその製造方法
WO2007094075A1 (fr) * 2006-02-17 2007-08-23 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Unité d'assemblage et unité de desassemblage de dispositif de fixation pour le séchage, appareil de circulation dudit dispositif, procédé de séchage de moulage en céramique, et procédé de production de structure en nid d'abeille
WO2007097056A1 (fr) * 2006-02-23 2007-08-30 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure en nid d'abeille et purificateur de gaz de rejet
WO2007097004A1 (fr) * 2006-02-24 2007-08-30 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Appareil et procede de melangeage a l'etat humide et procede de production de structures en nid d'abeille
ATE551167T1 (de) * 2006-02-28 2012-04-15 Ibiden Co Ltd Verfahren zur herstellung von einem wabenstrukturkörper
WO2007102217A1 (fr) * 2006-03-08 2007-09-13 Ibiden Co., Ltd. refroidisseur de corps cuit, four de cuisson, procédé de refroidissement de corps cuit céramique, et processus de fabrication de structure alvéolaire
WO2007102216A1 (fr) * 2006-03-08 2007-09-13 Ibiden Co., Ltd. appareil pour introduction dans un four à dégraissage et processus de fabrication de structure alvéolaire
WO2007108076A1 (fr) * 2006-03-17 2007-09-27 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Appareil de séchage, méthode de séchage d'une piece moulée céramique, et méthode de production d'une structure en nid d'abeille
JP4863904B2 (ja) * 2006-03-31 2012-01-25 イビデン株式会社 ハニカム構造体およびその製造方法
WO2007129391A1 (fr) 2006-05-01 2007-11-15 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Unité de montage de gabarit de cuisson, unité de démontage de gabarit de cuisson, appareil de circulation, procédé de moulage de céramique de cuisson, et processus de production de structure de nid d'abeille
WO2007129399A1 (fr) * 2006-05-08 2007-11-15 Ibiden Co., Ltd. PROCÉDÉ DE FABRICATION D'UNE STRUCTURE EN NID D'ABEILLES, MACHINE DE RÉCePTION DE MOULAGES EN NID D'ABEILLES ET MACHINE DE DÉMONTAGE DE MOULAGES EN NID D'ABEILLES
WO2007138701A1 (fr) * 2006-05-31 2007-12-06 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Dispositif de maintien et procédé de production de structure alvéolaire
WO2008032391A1 (fr) * 2006-09-14 2008-03-20 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Procédé de production d'une structure en nid d'abeille et composition de matière première pour nid d'abeille calciné
DE602006014830D1 (de) * 2006-09-14 2010-07-22 Ibiden Co Ltd Verfahren zur Herstellung eines Wabenkörpers und Zusammensetzung für Sinterwabenkörper
WO2008099454A1 (fr) * 2007-02-09 2008-08-21 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure en nid d'abeilles et appareil de traitement de gaz d'échappement
WO2008099450A1 (fr) * 2007-02-09 2008-08-21 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure en nid d'abeilles et appareil de traitement de gaz d'échappement
WO2008114335A1 (fr) * 2007-02-21 2008-09-25 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Four de chauffage et procédé de fabrication de structure en nid d'abeille
ATE532760T1 (de) * 2007-03-29 2011-11-15 Ibiden Co Ltd Wabenstruktur und zugehöriges herstellungsverfahren
WO2008120385A1 (fr) * 2007-03-29 2008-10-09 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure de nid d'abeilles, son procédé de fabrication, appareil de purification de gaz d'échappement et procédé de fabrication de l'appareil
WO2008120386A1 (fr) * 2007-03-29 2008-10-09 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure de nid d'abeilles
WO2008126319A1 (fr) * 2007-03-30 2008-10-23 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Procédé de fabrication de comprimés frittés de carbure de silicium poreux
WO2008129691A1 (fr) * 2007-03-30 2008-10-30 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Filtre en nid d'abeilles
WO2008126320A1 (fr) * 2007-03-30 2008-10-23 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Procédé de fabrication d'une structure en nid d'abeilles
WO2008139581A1 (fr) * 2007-05-09 2008-11-20 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Procédé de production d'une matière première pour la cuisson de carbure de silicium et procédé de production d'une structure en nid d'abeille
WO2008149435A1 (fr) * 2007-06-06 2008-12-11 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Gabarit de cuisson et procédé de fabrication d'une structure en nid d'abeilles
WO2008155856A1 (fr) * 2007-06-21 2008-12-24 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure en nid d'abeille et son procédé de production
JP5180835B2 (ja) * 2007-10-31 2013-04-10 イビデン株式会社 ハニカム構造体用梱包体、及び、ハニカム構造体の輸送方法
WO2009066388A1 (fr) * 2007-11-21 2009-05-28 Ibiden Co., Ltd. Structure en nid-d'abeilles et son procédé de production

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4573896A (en) 1981-07-15 1986-03-04 Corning Glass Works Apparatus for selectively manifolding honeycomb structures
JP2004290766A (ja) 2003-03-26 2004-10-21 Ngk Insulators Ltd ハニカム構造体の製造方法

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2098273A1 (fr) * 2006-12-27 2009-09-09 Hitachi Metals, Ltd. Filtre en nid d'abeilles céramique et son procédé de fabrication
EP2098273A4 (fr) * 2006-12-27 2012-05-30 Hitachi Metals Ltd Filtre en nid d'abeilles céramique et son procédé de fabrication
CN101386138B (zh) * 2008-09-16 2010-04-21 浙江大学 向蜂窝柔性材料中填充铁粉的自动填充系统
EP2505253A1 (fr) * 2011-03-29 2012-10-03 NGK Insulators, Ltd. Structure en nid d'abeille raccordée
EP2508241A1 (fr) * 2011-03-29 2012-10-10 NGK Insulators, Ltd. Structure en nid d'abeille raccordée

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2007132530A1 (fr) 2007-11-22
US20080116601A1 (en) 2008-05-22
EP1857163B1 (fr) 2012-04-25
US7727451B2 (en) 2010-06-01
EP2433697A1 (fr) 2012-03-28

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP1857163B1 (fr) Utilisation d'un Appareil pour le traitement de la face de l'extrémité d'un corps moulé en nid d'abeille pour l'applanissement de celle-ci et procédé pour la fabrication d'un corps moulé en nid d'abeille
EP1847518B1 (fr) Procédé de fabrication d'un élément structuré en nid d'abeille
JP5057815B2 (ja) ハニカム成形体用端面処理装置、ハニカム成形体の封止方法、及び、ハニカム構造体の製造方法
EP1825979B1 (fr) Procédé de fabrication pour un corps structuré en nid d'abeilles
EP1825977B1 (fr) Dispositif d'obturation pour stucture moulée en nid d'abeilles, procédé d'obturation avec une pâte et procédé de fabrication d'un corps structuré en nid d'abeilles
EP1854607B1 (fr) Procédé de fabrication d'un corps structuré en nid d'abeille
US20080111274A1 (en) Degreasing jig assembling apparatus, degreasing jig disassembling apparatus, degreasing jig circulating apparatus, method for degreasing ceramic molded body, and method for manufacturing honeycomb structured body
EP1835249A1 (fr) Appareil de séchage, procédé de séchage d'élément moulé en céramique et procédé de fabrication d'un élément structuré en nid d'abeille
US8119056B2 (en) End face processing apparatus, end face processing system, end face processing method for honeycomb molded body, and manufacturing method for honeycomb structure
EP1832535B1 (fr) Appareil de transport de four dégraissant et procédé de fabrication d'un corps structuré en nid d'abeille
US7687013B2 (en) Method for firing ceramic molded body and method for manufacturing honeycomb structure
US7708933B2 (en) Drying method of ceramic molded body
EP1918675B1 (fr) Base de montage de corps à structure de nid d'abeille et appareil d'inspection de corps à structure de nid d'abeille
EP1844912B1 (fr) Appareil de découpe d'élément moulé, procédé de découpe d'éléments moulés en céramique et procédé de fabrication d'un élément structuré en nid d'abeille
EP1847366B1 (fr) Procédé pour la fabrication d'une structure en nid d'abeilles
EP1880817A1 (fr) Méthode pour la coupe d'une structure en nid d'abeilles
JP5008407B2 (ja) ハニカム成形体用封口装置、ハニカム焼成体用封口装置、封止材ペーストの充填方法、及び、ハニカム構造体の製造方法
JP5121237B2 (ja) 乾燥用治具組立装置、乾燥用治具分解装置、乾燥用治具循環装置、セラミック成形体の乾燥方法、及び、ハニカム構造体の製造方法

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20070320

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Extension state: AL BA HR MK YU

AKX Designation fees paid

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 20100817

RTI1 Title (correction)

Free format text: USE OF AN END FACE TREATING APPARATUS FOR FLATTENING AN END FACE OF A HONEYCOMB MOLDED BODY AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING HONEYCOMB STRUCTURED BODY.

GRAP Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR1

GRAS Grant fee paid

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR3

RIN1 Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected)

Inventor name: NARUSE, KAZUYA

Inventor name: HAYAKAWA, SYUHEI

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

RTI1 Title (correction)

Free format text: A HONEYCOMB MOLDED BODY END FACE TREATING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A HONEYCOMB STRUCTURED BODY

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: FG4D

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: EP

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: AT

Ref legal event code: REF

Ref document number: 554843

Country of ref document: AT

Kind code of ref document: T

Effective date: 20120515

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: IE

Ref legal event code: FG4D

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: R096

Ref document number: 602007022188

Country of ref document: DE

Effective date: 20120628

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: NL

Ref legal event code: VDEP

Effective date: 20120425

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: AT

Ref legal event code: MK05

Ref document number: 554843

Country of ref document: AT

Kind code of ref document: T

Effective date: 20120425

LTIE Lt: invalidation of european patent or patent extension

Effective date: 20120425

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: CY

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

Ref country code: SE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

Ref country code: LT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

Ref country code: IS

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120825

Ref country code: PL

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

Ref country code: FI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LV

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

Ref country code: SI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

Ref country code: PT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120827

Ref country code: GR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120726

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: BE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: NL

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

Ref country code: CZ

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

Ref country code: EE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

Ref country code: DK

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

Ref country code: RO

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

Ref country code: AT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

Ref country code: SK

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

26N No opposition filed

Effective date: 20130128

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: ES

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120805

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: R097

Ref document number: 602007022188

Country of ref document: DE

Effective date: 20130128

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: BG

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120725

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: MC

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20130331

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: PL

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20130320

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: ST

Effective date: 20131129

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: IE

Ref legal event code: MM4A

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20130402

Ref country code: GB

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20130320

Ref country code: LI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20130331

Ref country code: CH

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20130331

Ref country code: IE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20130320

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: MT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: TR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120425

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LU

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20130320

Ref country code: HU

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT; INVALID AB INITIO

Effective date: 20070320

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 20240130

Year of fee payment: 18